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CNN Live Event/Special
CNN, The Fourth In America: Celebrating 250. Aired 9-10p ET
Aired July 04, 2026 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[21:00:00]
SARA SIDNER, CNN HOST: They have brought folks from the Norwegian Navy who have just for the very first time come to New York. So they are getting this spectacular show. I'm telling you they're not going to want to leave.
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: And so we're looking at --
SIDNER: They're not going to leave.
BLACKWELL: -- over the Hudson River and the East River as well and there are the tall ships that have been here. People have their private boats out, the Navy, the naval vessels as well.
SIDNER: Coast Guard is here as well.
BLACKWELL: Coast Guard is here as well.
SIDNER: Yes.
BLACKWELL: And because we have the World Cup there are additional people here from around the world who are in a celebratory mood and get to see this show, a once in a lifetime opportunity at the 250th.
SIDNER: It's true there's a lot of nerves here because I think England and Mexico are going to be playing soon and the USA is going to be playing on Monday. But in just two minutes and by the way they were supposed to do fireworks at about 9:25 but because of the W, the weather, we are going to start early here in New York. New York does not play. They plan to make this perfect if they have to start it early and they're going to. In two minutes we're going to start seeing the beautiful fireworks. You are already starting to see things light up and that was the Statue of Liberty you just got to look at. You're starting to see all these different buildings. That's the Empire State. There she is.
The Statue of Liberty welcoming in all of the masses. It's just a beautiful shot. And right now you're going to see such a gorgeous picture. But you know what, you're also going to hear something that's going to blow your heart open.
BLACKWELL: Yes, Avery Wilson has been -- we've been listening to the soundtrack and let me just tell you all which you are about a minute and a half away from is fantastic. Not only was he the good luck charm for the Knicks but he has a voice that is so soulful and really brings home the moment of this national anthem as we'll celebrate as a country, to be here in New York at this moment with you know the big celebrity wedding and with FIFA and with the Knicks and on 250, I mean the whole city is out.
SIDNER: It's just an incredible time and we're so, so delighted to be able to share it with you and spend it with you. We are counting down now from about 20 seconds to the national anthem and then you are going to see a show like you have not seen before from here in New York. There are 200, I think, and 50 different places around the city that are just going to explode with color --
BLACKWELL: Yes.
SIDNER: -- and bright lights.
BLACKWELL: At this moment when there is division in this country let's celebrate this together. Let's enjoy this moment together. Happy Fourth America. Happy birthday.
SIDNER: And now let's get to our Avery Wilson. Oh, the fire -- I can -- I'm starting to hear stuff, you know, it's hard to tell you all whether or not it's community fireworks or the real ones are starting because you can start hearing them all the way up here on the 86th floor. You can start hearing the fireworks going off from folks that are around the city but I think we are expecting in just a few seconds here to start seeing the official ones which are going to light up this city like we haven't seen before. I mean look we're all used to going down to Times Square where they got every light in the world turned on, right?
BLACKWELL: Right, right.
SIDNER: But this is going to be something way beyond that and you are watching our drone just go over the top of that spire where we did see a couple of folks this week climb into the very top of that thing.
BLACKWELL: Sure did.
SIDNER: That's terrifying.
BLACKWELL: Yes.
SIDNER: But now you're looking sort of down into up -- now you've got the beauty the Statue of Liberty and you look around the Statue of Liberty and you see all of those boats there but you also are seeing the naval ship is out there as well, the Coast Guard out there as well.
You are seeing the celebration of the armed services as well as the citizens, the everyday citizens who live and work here who work their tails off just to put the lights on. This city is going to put on a show.
BLACKWELL: And we're here up on the 86th floor, the observation deck at the Empire State Building and there are people who are lined here with their cameras ready recording, waiting for that moment to see this firework. Something new.
SIDNER: It's starting. I think I saw a couple of fireworks coming up there. It's coming.
BLACKWELL: And again, this is happening a little earlier, a little sooner than scheduled because of some possibility of some weather later but --
[21:04:19]
SIDNER: You can see a little bit of it. If you look beyond that spire you can see sort of the dark clouds there. And look Boston went through it and now they're back. Washington, D.C. has gone through it. They are still waiting to start their show. But it looks as though, it's begun. It has begun ladies and gentlemen. Happy Fourth of July.
(SINGING)
[21:32:18]
SIDNER: That was Frank Sinatra.
BLACKWELL: Wow.
SIDNER: You can't miss that voice "New York, New York." We just watched the 250th birthday being celebrated here in New York City with this wonderful woman in the backdrop. Seeing the Statue of Liberty there and now seeing the Empire State Building. We were standing just below that blue light --
BLACKWELL: Yes.
SIDNER: -- there on the 86th floor of this building and we could -- we were above the fireworks, watching them go off on the Brooklyn Bridge, watching them go off along the East River. It was gorgeous from this vantage point.
SIDNER: There is something magical, especially with that finale that comes every year with Frank Sinatra singing the theme from "New York, New York." We've got maybe a couple hundred people around us here on the observation deck. We've got grandchildren and grandparents and everybody was fixated on the horizon and watching fireworks.
The first big show of our special tonight, it really wasn't scheduled to be, but it really kicked it off well. And, you know, there are a lot of cities that are moving to drones and I understand that.
SIDNER: Yes.
BLACKWELL: But for my money, give me an old fashioned --
SIDNER: Yes.
BLACKWELL: -- fireworks show like that. It was fantastic.
SIDNER: It was so beautiful and so old school, you know what I mean? BLACKWELL: Right. Yes.
SIDNER: Like you and I are a bit old school.
BLACKWELL: Yes.
SIDNER: We like to see the big booms and hear the heart -- feel the heart rattle a little bit, it was just gorgeous. But this shot from our drone tells you everything you need to know. New York's had an amazing year with all of the things that have happened. The Knicks winning national championship. You had Tay Tay, Taylor Swift and Travis. I don't know the girl, but she got married, like I feel like I know her.
BLACKWELL: He had performance, yes.
SIDNER: She had a big day and we got the World Cup from here too. And there's so many people we know the folks from the Norwegian Navy are here and we've got the U.S. Navy represented as well. It is just a beautiful moment and I'm so happy to share it with you all, especially you, Victor.
BLACKWELL: Oh, thanks so much. Good to be here with you. Anderson and Pam, I know you enjoyed that show. Boston has a beautiful one coming up.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: That was incredible.
BLACKWELL: Happy Fourth to you two.
COOPER: Yes.
PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: Happy Fourth to you as well.
COOPER: Yes. I'm that -- and I got your drone shots are just blowing my mind.
BROWN: Yes.
COOPER: The lifelong New York, I've never seen the Empire State Building like this. That fireworks display in New York City unbelievable. I was saying earlier, I was there for the 100th birthday of the Brooklyn Bridge and that they -- and they did the same thing that they did back then. And I'm so glad they did it again, which is like these fireworks. It looks like a white waterfall of fireworks pouring off the bridge into the water.
SIDNER: Yes.
BROWN: Yes.
COOPER: It's very cool.
BROWN: It was beautiful, majestic. And just seeing the Statue of Liberty, with the fireworks, those drone shots it's --
COOPER: Oh my God. It was unbelievable.
[21:35:01]
BROWN: It's so powerful.
COOPER: We should let you know like the schedules were kind of planned and then there was weather in D.C., weather here in Boston. So everything has been changing around. So New York's fireworks have now gone first that wasn't originally the plan. We're getting an update on the timing for tonight's world record attempt in Washington, D.C.
They are attempting to launch the most fireworks ever like multiple times more than they have ever launched. The National Mall will reopen to crowds were told in minutes after a lengthy weather evacuation. President Trump says he will still deliver his speech that is expected to start at 11:00 p.m. Eastern. And then of course the fireworks are going to follow that speech.
However long that may be. We're going to hear from Chance the Rapper here in just a moment. He performed earlier. He's going to be back with the legendary Boston Pops. We're going to bring that to you. Also Lainey Wilson is going to be performing. Again, we're going to bring that to you. And then we are going to also have fireworks here.
BROWN: Yes, we are. I mean these amazing fireworks display across the country. You saw in New York. They're going to be here in Boston within the hour we're told. So that's going to be happening here. And then you have D.C. where they're trying to set a world record.
COOPER: That's right.
BROWN: The Guinness Book of World Records with the biggest fireworks display. I don't know you guys be the judge. But I will say that they're going to have some tough competition with what we just saw in New York there.
COOPER: And it was so nice here is we're seeing so many like families here little kids here. Let's listen to Chance the Rapper.
(SINGING)
[21:40:22]
COOPER: Chance the Rapper performing for about 15,000 so or so people estimated to be here right in front of the stage. There are many more hundreds of thousands throughout Boston waiting the fireworks, who are also watching what's happening here on the on video displays. Lainey Wilson is going to be coming up very shortly she also performed just briefly before. She's going to be coming back. She is the pride of Baskin, Louisiana.
BROWN: Yes.
COOPER: A hundred and -- a town of like 170 people.
BROWN: Yes. A small town girl, I was watching an interview she did today about meeting Tim McGraw and how she'd written him a letter. It was so exciting.
COOPER: Oh, is that right?
BROWN: Yes. When she was a little girl and said, I would just -- all I want to do is sing. And then all these years later, she got to meet him and it now has this incredible career and it's going to be performing behind us but also perform with Taylor Swift.
COOPER: Yes.
BROWN: So, you do have to wonder if she was at the wedding and came straight. I don't know.
COOPER: I don't know.
BROWN: Stay from New York but we're looking forward to her. And, you know, we were talking before we went to Chance the Rapper, just the crowd here behind us. Like, it's such a wholesome crowd.
COOPER: It's so nice. Yes.
BROWN: With family, kids and everyone.
COOPER: And also, I mean, a lot of little kids who are getting to stay up late maybe for the first time. Like I wish I brought my kids to --
BROWN: I do too. I mean, they would probably be grumpy at this hour because this is way past their bedtime but it's been really nice and everyone is just in great spirits and I have to say, you know, Anderson, I know there's so much anxiety right now in this country and divide and partisanship and everything but there's no feeling of that here, right? It's just everyone's in great spirits. They all are so well-behaved but they had to evacuate.
COOPER: I couldn't believe it.
BROWN: Yes.
COOPER: You know, the storm came in a couple hours ago and everybody had been settled in here with such a nice vibe. Suddenly, it changed and the police did a great job and the state troopers and National Guard. They're like, you know, helping people out but everyone was so calm and cool about it.
BROWN: Yes.
COOPER: And then came back and it's -- it is a really truly, you know, it's rare that you get such big gatherings of people where there's just such a cool vibe and I'm sure it's that way in Washington and New York as well.
BROWN: Yes, it gives you hope honestly, you know, as we reflect on the history of this country, 250 years since the Declaration of Independence was signed and we were talking to Doris Kearns Goodwin just about how it was people have always been at the center of all the big movements in this country. COOPER: Yes.
BROWN: Revolution and beyond. And she really made the point how it's the people that continue to be the heart, right? And I think moments like this where we can all come together and show this unity. It's really special. You know, a milestone 250 years of a country that's really been an experiment that our founders didn't even necessarily know would survive.
COOPER: Yes.
BROWN: And it's just so special to be part of this celebration. Right now I believe Jane Lynch is speaking and she's getting ready to introduce Lainey Wilson. So shall we listen in?
[21:43:17]
COOPER: Let's do it. Lainey Wilson.
(SINGING)
LAINEY WILSON, SINGER-SONGWRITER: You all ready to turn it up? Let's turn it up. Put your hands together, come on, move.
(SINGING)
[21:50:34]
COOPER: Wow, she was great.
BROWN: She really was. She energized the crowd out here.
COOPER: Yes, yes, yes. Yes, that last song, like, everybody literally got up. It was dancing around.
BROWN: It was so cute. I saw her mom there dancing, waving to her right now with her little girl. So sweet. And so exciting to listen to her and so many other fun things coming up tonight.
This is just the beginning. It sort of is, right?
COOPER: We are minutes --
BROWN: -- delay.
COOPER: -- minutes away from a breathtaking display. This one here in Boston, one of the first ever cities to mark the 4th of July with fireworks. And tonight they'll dazzle the crowds with thousands of launches over the Charles River.
BROWN: Plus, the severe weather is passing out of the nation's capital where tonight Washington, D.C. is planning to launch 850,000 fireworks in an attempt to set a world record. You'll be able to watch every minute of these shows and more right here on CNN.
COOPER: A lot of fireworks coming up. BROWN: Lots. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[21:55:20]
COOPER: And welcome back to CNN's Fourth in America special. A live look at Washington, D.C. now. It's a beautiful shot there where people are being allowed to return finally to the National Mall after a long delay because of storms. And they will attempt to break a fireworks world record after President Trump delivers his speech.
We saw an amazing fireworks display in New York City. I hope you were here for that. We're expecting a huge one here in Boston as well. And then of course hoping to set that record in Washington, D.C.
BROWN: We'll see if they do. And I will say though, it's annoying for it to be postponed. But it does cool everything off. It's happened here in Boston.
COOPER: Yes.
BROWN: Much nicer here. Hopefully it is there in D.C. as well. So let's find out from our Dana Bash and Boris Sanchez who are making their way back to the National Mall in D.C. And who are there right in position once again like nothing ever happened. Right, Dana and Boris?
COOPER: How's it going?
DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR: Kind of. Something like that.
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Yes.
BASH: Yes. We see people filing back in. You can hear there's a very loud announcement that has been on repeat over and over and over again. Saying at the direction of President Donald J. Trump we are opening up the mall. And that the President will speak now at 11:00 p.m. Eastern with fireworks to follow.
SANCHEZ: Yes. We're getting a truncated version of what we were going to see earlier with this two-hour weather delay. We're set to still hear from some musical artists, though not quite as many as we were before. And notably, as you said, President Trump, he posted on social media that even if this had started at 2:00 in the morning, he was still moving forward with this speech. So we will be hearing from him.
We can tell you that all around this area there are rain-soaked folks that had to rush out of the National Mall and into nearby museums. Taking shelter from what was a relatively calm storm. It wasn't that bad. It was a drizzle.
BASH: Where we were, yes.
SANCHEZ: Yes, yes.
BASH: Where we were, it doesn't look like it was as bad as where they were in Boston.
SANCHEZ: But there was some lightning. And that, of course, was the bigger concern.
BASH: Yes. Absolutely.
SANCHEZ: And so --
BASH: And it took a longer time to get through the Washington area. In fact, you can probably see it's definitely still raining. But the danger seems to be gone.
SANCHEZ: Yes. Fortunately. And so we will potentially see that record- shattering 850,000-firework display later tonight. Anderson will obviously bring it all to you as it happens here from the Nation's Capitol.
COOPER: Look forward to that. And as we await the fireworks display here, I want to head down south to Music City where Andy Scholes is high above the Honky Tonk Highway. Andy, what's going on in Nashville tonight? How are the vibes there?
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Oh, Anderson, I mean, it has been a party here in Nashville all day long here on Broadway. I mean, the street is completely packed. All the rooftop bars here on the Honky Tonk Highway completely packed as well. They're estimated they're going to have more than 300,000 people down here in downtown Nashville to watch the biggest firework display this city has ever seen.
They're going to have 40,000 pounds of explosives for this show. They have 200 miles of wiring connecting all those explosives. That's enough wiring to go from here all the way to Memphis, which is just incredible. We're on a rooftop of JBJ's. It's Jon Bon Jovi's spot. I mean, this is an incredible venue. Five floors, 38,000 square feet of fun. They had mechanical bull riding on the second floor, which I did earlier, which was a blast.
You can get a tattoo on the third floor, Anderson, which I'm not planning on doing, but who knows? The night is still young. But yes, this is an amazing spot to watch, the biggest fireworks display Nashville has ever seen. Big shout out to Uplift. Big shout out to Uplift, the premium hospitality group that puts best events or the biggest events all around the country.
They're letting crash their party here, Anderson, but the anticipation is building. All the people super excited. The river is that way and that's where all the fireworks are going to be. It's going to be quite the show.
COOPER: I can't wait to see what tattoo you end up with in the morning.
BROWN: Yes.
[21:59:31] COOPER: We'll look forward to that. Thanks very much. Appreciate it Andy. We're getting ready for some more spectacular fireworks shows including right here behind us in Boston, actually I should say over the Charles River. Now I want to show you a performance from multi- platinum selling award winning singer songwriter Kane Brown.
(SINGING)
