Trump's speech after storm chaos: 'Not easy'

Storms and lightning disrupted the massive July 4th celebration in Washington D.C., forcing an evacuation of the National Mall. President Donald Trump, however, proceeded with his delayed speech, framing the situation as a test of resolve.

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If you think that was easy, it wasn't.

"If you think that was easy, it wasn't," Trump told the crowd that remained after the weather scare. He recounted the decision to continue, stating, "They saw lightning and I said, 'Never ever.' If we have to give a speech in front of one person at 4 in the morning, I will do it. There is no chance we can be deterred."

The president's address, which began after 11:30 p.m. local time, covered a range of topics. He condemned communism as a "cancer," honored veterans, and reiterated his stance on election integrity, proposing mandatory voter identification. "Every voter must show a little thing called proof of citizenship. There will be no mail-in votes, except for sickness, disability, or travel. There will be no cheating in elections anymore," Trump declared.

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They saw lightning and I said, 'Never ever.' If we have to give a speech in front of one person at 4 in the morning, I will do it. There is no chance we can be deterred.

Earlier in the day, extreme heat approaching 40 degrees Celsius had already presented challenges for the Independence Day festivities. Despite the weather adversities, including air force flyovers, the event concluded with a fireworks display following Trump's speech.

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Every voter must show a little thing called proof of citizenship. There will be no mail-in votes, except for sickness, disability, or travel. There will be no cheating in elections anymore.