VietJoy

President Donald Trump kicked off a “Salute to America” Saturday night on the grounds of the White House with a speech that revisited the language and themes of the one he delivered a night earlier at Mount Rushmore.

In his speech, the president vowed to "safeguard our values" from enemies within, including leftists, looters, and agitators.

He went on to say the United States would "never allow an angry mob to tear down our statues, erase our history."

The president also suggested a coronavirus vaccine could come "long before the end of the year."

Earlier Saturday, Democrat Joe Biden, Trump's presumptive opponent in the November election, used a different tone, tweeting: "Our nation was founded on a simple idea: We're all created equal. We've never lived up to it — but we've never stopped trying. This Independence Day, let's not just celebrate those words, let's commit to finally fulfill them."

Crowds of spectators turned out along the National Mall for the event, including a large Independence Day fireworks display, despite the city’s concerns about the coronavirus. Crowds started to form Saturday morning along the mall but were smaller than a year ago and many wore masks, according to the Associated Press.

Among them was nurse Zippy Watt from Riverside, California, who came to see the military flyover and fireworks with her husband and their two daughters. They wore matching American flag face masks even when seated together on a park bench.

"We chose to wear a mask to protect ourselves and others," Watt told the AP. She said she is "more of a Trump supporter" because of what she sees as socialist tendencies and high taxes in her state.

Streets were blocked off around D.C. as the district saw a number of protests for racial equality and police reform.

Earlier at the White House, several hundred invited guests gathered, most not wearing masks, on the South Lawn around tables decorated with flowers and small U.S. flags.

Trump's guests were doctors, nurses, law enforcement officers and military members as well as officials from the administration, said Judd Deere, deputy White House press secretary. He said the event was a tribute to the “tremendous courage and spirit” of front-line workers and the public in the pandemic.

Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said plans for the July Fourth celebrations include a milelong firing of 10,000 fireworks that he called “the largest in recent memory.”

Interior Department officials said they would have 300,000 face masks to give to spectators who came to the National Mall for the festivities, although there was no indication that people would be required to wear them.

Bernhardt said visitors would be encouraged to wear masks and keep a 2-meter distance from one another.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has criticized the plans, saying they go against established health guidelines.

“We know this is a special event for the Department of Interior. We’ve communicated to them that we do not think this is in keeping with the best CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and Department of Health guidance,” she said.

She noted the event would take place entirely on federal property, which means she does not have the right to shut down the holiday festivities.

Bowser has asked city residents to avoid large crowds and to celebrate July Fourth near their homes.

Many other U.S. cities have canceled or scaled back their firework displays this year because of the pandemic and concerns of large groups of people gathering.

However, sales of fireworks have been strong, indicating that many Americans are planning to celebrate the holiday in their backyard, according to the Associated Press.