WASHINGTON — (AP) For President Donald Trump’s first Independence Day in office, he and first lady Melania Trump hosted a picnic for military families at the White House.
Rain threatened the event on the South Lawn but cleared up as Trump stepped out to address the crowd from a balcony. The Republican president pledged his “unwavering support” and told the crowd that he will “always have your back.”
Before the picnic, Trump kicked off his holiday at his golf club in Virginia. He arrived at the club in Sterling just before 10 a.m. and spent nearly four hours there before returning to the White House. Aides did not answer questions about whether he was golfing.
Later, the festive, star-spangled crowd that gathered for the July Fourth concert and fireworks on the National Mall couldn’t avoid being reminded of the ugly reality of life in Washington in 2017.
Concertgoers were greeted by heavy security, including police officers with semi-automatic rifles around their necks and roads blocked with concrete barriers, military vehicles and construction equipment.
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And host John Stamos took time during the “Capitol Fourth” concert on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol to honor one police officer in particular: special agent David Bailey, of the U.S. Capitol Police, who was wounded while protecting members of Congress during a shooting at a baseball practice last month.
The concert featured performances by the Beach Boys, the Four Tops and the Blues Brothers.
Copyright 2017 by WMAL.com. All Rights Reserved. (PHOTO: Alex Brandon/AP)
