Evening Edition: Fourth of July celebration draws thousands to the nation’s capital

Tanks and planes assemble for 'Salute to America' as critics decry it as Trump's salute to himself; Inside the effort to build suspense — and crowds — for Trump's July 4

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Fourth of July celebration draws thousands to the nation's capital Visitors began to stream into downtown Washington Thursday for an Independence Day celebration that has been dramatically altered with the personal stamp of President Trump — including a speech at the Lincoln Memorial. By Peter Jamison, Samantha Schmidt, Hannah Natanson and Rebecca Tan · Read more Tanks and planes assemble for 'Salute to America' as critics decry it as Trump's salute to himself President Trump's supporters say he is simply celebrating America. Democrats accuse the White House of turning a taxpayer-funded, nonpolitical event into a reelection rally. By Toluse Olorunnipa · Read more   Inside the effort to build suspense — and crowds — for Trump's July 4 Aides have been trying to avoid a situation like 2017, when the new president was enraged that his inaugural audience was smaller than Barack Obama's. By Juliet Eilperin, Josh Dawsey, Ashley Parker and Dan Lamothe · Read more   Visual Story Scenes from the Mall Washington Post photographers captured the sights as people gathered for the Fourth of July celebration. Read more   July 4 fireworks live stream and on TV: What time to watch and who has the best lineup From "A Capitol Fourth" to NBC's "Macy's 4th of July Spectacular," here's everything you need to know. By Emily Yahr · Read more   Post Reports | Listen Now How a trade war could blow up the U.S. fireworks supply Taylor Telford explains how the United States became reliant on China for fireworks — and what the ongoing trade war might mean for future Fourth of July celebrations. And science reporter Lena Sun explains her obsession with sour cherries. By The Washington Post · Read more   ADVERTISEMENT Rep. Amash, lone GOP critic of Trump, leaves Republican Party The Michigan congressman wrote in The Post that the country can do better than the two-party system in declaring his affiliation as independent. By Donna Cassata · Read more   The Fix: Rep. Justin Amash sounds like a guy who might just run for president Amash hasn't made his intentions clear, but based on what he says about his party switch, it's a logical path to accomplish his goals. By Aaron Blake · Read more   EXCLUSIVE How the NRA's aggressive stand after Newtown school massacre divided its leaders Over the objections of some top officials, NRA chief executive Wayne LaPierre struck a defiant posture in appearances crafted by the group's now-estranged advertising firm. By Carol Leonnig, Beth Reinhard and Tom Hamburger · Read more   6.4-magnitude earthquake strikes Southern California The quake hit about 160 miles northeast of Los Angeles. Closer to the epicenter, near Ridgecrest, fire officials said they were responding to nearly two dozen incidents, ranging from medical assistance to structure fires. By Kayla Epstein and Hannah Knowles · Read more   In reversal, U.S. seeks to add citizenship question to 2020 Census The move came hours after President Trump said he was "absolutely moving forward" with adding the question, in a tweet that seemed to catch government lawyers off guard as they were summoned by two federal judges to explain the change of heart. By Tara Bahrampour, Matt Zapotosky and Josh Dawsey · Read more   British marines seize tanker suspected of carrying Iranian oil bound for Syria The detention of the ship near Gibraltar is the first such seizure under E.U. sanctions targeting supplies to Syria. By Liz Sly · Read more   Critic's Notebook The Rolling Stones want to teach you how to live forever After Mick Jagger's heart surgery, the Stones, playing at Maryland's FedEx Field, sound more alive than they have in years. By Chris Richards · Read more   Mad magazine, a pioneer of modern satire, to stop publishing new content The once-subversive institution, which inspired generations of comedians and artists, will endure mostly by recirculating its vintage material. By Michael Cavna · Read more   Ready, set, grill: A guide to outdoor cooking The convection heat of an outdoor grill provides texture and flavor to vegetables, fruit, meat and fish. These tools and tips help make your grilling season a sizzling success. By Elizabeth Karmel · Read more   After Confederate statues, America's culture war targets Betsy Ross and a founding father Amid growing diversity, the nation is reckoning with a past inextricably tied to racism and slavery. By Frances Sellers and Alex Horton · Read more   TV Review A convoluted 'Stranger Things' follows its primal '80s urges to one monster of a mall The series starts to drag, with too many characters. But no other show perfects a retro vibe like this one. By Hank Stuever · Read more   ADVERTISEMENT Recommended for you Get the 5-Minute Fix newsletter A must-read cheatsheet on the latest in politics that can be read in 5 minutes or less, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Sign Up

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