Flights face 15-hour shutdowns as Trump tries to shatter fireworks records at Freedom 250
President Donald Trump's Federal Aviation Administration is shutting down flights at Reagan National Airport for 15 hours across two days to clear the skies for his Freedom 250 celebration.The FAA posted the warning on Monday on X, saying it has been coordinating with stakeholders "for months to help ensure the safe and efficient movement of air traffic during celebrations of America's 250th birthday, including the iconic flyovers and fireworks.""Flight operations at DCA are expected to be temporarily paused from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 3 and from noon to 11:59 p.m. on July 4 to support Independence Day events," the FAA wrote."These times are subject to change," the post added. "Travelers should check with their airline for the latest flight status."President Donald Trump established Freedom 250, a White House-backed commission, to organize the semiquincentennial celebrations. He wrote on Truth Social that he would personally launch "the LARGEST FIREWORKS SHOW IN HISTORY."Pyrotecnico, the company behind the July 4 display, plans to fire roughly 851,000 fireworks from 10 sites — including eight barges on the Potomac River — over 40 minutes starting at 10:30 p.m. That would shatter the current Guinness World Record of 810,904 fireworks, set by a megachurch in the Philippines in 2016."Our main focus is to make this the most memorable fireworks display that this generation will have ever seen," Pyrotecnico CEO Stephen Vitale told NPR.Freedom 250 spokesperson Rachel Reisner told Axios the finale will "shatter world records and stand as the most spectacular firework display the world has ever seen."The July 4 program also includes flyovers by the Thunderbirds, the Blue Angels, the F-22 Raptor Demo Team and the Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II Demo Team — what Freedom 250 calls the first aerobatic demonstrations ever held over Washington.
