Trump caps summer of US 250th birthday with auto race through Washington
Trump led a slow lap in The Beast before waving the green flag for a 147-lap race that organizers said drew nearly 300,000 people.
- On Sunday, President Donald Trump will wave the green flag to start the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, capping America's 250th anniversary celebration with a first-of-its-kind IndyCar race through the capital's streets.
- The race highlights summer-long America 250 festivities after Trump issued an executive order directing the Transportation Department to design the course, bypassing Congress when the original Capitol-area proposal stalled over advertising restrictions.
- More than 100,000 spectators are expected to attend the 1.7-mile circuit with free admission, while corporate sponsors including Boeing, SpaceX, and Delta Air Lines support the event where 25 drivers will reach speeds up to 180 miles per hour.
- President Trump will take a ceremonial lap in the presidential limousine, known as "The Beast," before the race begins, while officials pause air traffic at Ronald Reagan National Airport for three hours to accommodate military flyovers.
252 Articles
252 Articles
On the occasion of the 250th birthday of the USA, an indycar race took place for the first time in Washington. Donald Trump staged the spectacle as a patriotic mega-event. "Our country is great and our 250th birthday is something very special," said the US President.
Trump Takes Historic Lap Around Washington Before Launching Freedom 250 Grand Prix - Real News Now
President Donald Trump kicked off Washington’s inaugural Freedom 250 Grand Prix in dramatic fashion Sunday, taking a ceremonial lap around the National Mall in the presidential limousine before waving the green flag to begin the historic IndyCar race. Trump traveled around the 1.7-mile street circuit in “The Beast,” his heavily armored presidential limousine, as spectators packed the course near the U.S. Capitol. During the presidential lap, Air…
Trump Waves Green Flag to Kick off Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington DC
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump took an honorary lap around the 1.7-mile (2.74 km) track in the presidential motorcade, known as the Beast, as IndyCar fans cheered. Trump was also seen speaking with some of the drivers before returning to the Beast. World News | Trump Waves Green Flag to Kick off Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington DC.
Race cars speed through DC in finale of Trump-backed Freedom 250 series
IndyCar drivers turned left on Pennsylvania Avenue, with the U.S. Capitol in the background, during the Freedom250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026. (Photo by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)WASHINGTON — IndyCar took over the streets of the nation’s capital for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, the last in a series of events coordinated and promoted by President Donald Trump to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States. Jus…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 54% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
