In his second term, President Donald Trump has transformed the White House grounds into a UFC arena, a Tesla car lot and, now, a Grand Prix pit stop.
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On Monday, Trump reveled in the latest made-for-TV spectacle as a red, white and blue racecar pulled in front of the West Wing and a crew wearing bright blue polos that read “Freedom 250” raced to change its tires in under six seconds. The brief event showcased the Grand Prix-style auto race his administration is planning around the national monuments next month to celebrate the country’s 250th birthday.
The weather in Washington posed struggles for earlier Freedom 250 events, including the Great American State Fair and the Fourth of July fireworks. The state fair suffered power outages that led to ride delays and melted ice cream, and the fireworks were delayed because of thunderstorms.
Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said he hoped that the temperatures would be 75 degrees at the August event.
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As racecar drivers stood by wearing suits with logos for OpenAI, Shell and SiriusXM, Roger Penske, the owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and other auto-racing businesses, handed Trump his own helmet.
“We hope you will wear that when you’re riding around in the Beast,” Penske said, referring to the presidential limo.
“I will,” Trump replied, smiling at the helmet.
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