“It was a wonderful day for all Americans and based on its tremendous success we’re just making the decision – and I think I can say, we’ve made the decision to do it next year and maybe we can say for the foreseeable future,” Trump said Monday during a speech at the White House.

Trump revamped the traditional Fourth of July celebration in Washington this year, putting himself at the centre of the festivities. The all-day gathering on the National Mall that draws hundreds of thousands of people featured a Trump speech at the Lincoln Memorial in the evening, military aircraft fly-bys and armoured vehicles.

The usual 15-minute fireworks show was extended to 35 minutes after two pyrotechnics companies made a donation valued at US$750,000. Trump called his event the “Salute to America.”

Government officials made no estimate of the crowd size for the affair but the city’s Metrorail system reported ridership increased 1.7% over the same day last year, with about 401,000 people using the subway system.

“In spite of the heavy rain, and it was really heavy, we had a remarkable Salute to America on the National Mall,” Trump said.

“It was incredible. Standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and looking out on the crowds – these incredible, big, beautiful crowds braving the weather all the way back to the Washington Monument, we celebrated freedom in all of its magnificence while saluting our great military.”