Trump kicks off Freedom 250 Grand Prix IndyCar race in the streets of Washington, D.C.

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump kicked off the Freedom 250 Grand Prix IndyCar race in Washington, D.C., starting with a slow lap before Trump waved the green flag. The open-wheel event runs along downtown streets, including a stretch on Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House. Speeds are approaching 200 mph as cars pass monuments. The race is the latest in Trump’s 250th-birthday celebrations, which also included a performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” by tenor Christopher Macchio and a military flyover featuring a B-2 stealth bomber and the Qatar-gifted Air Force One, escorted by four fighter jets. IndyCar series owner Roger Penske helped secure the race and was honored by Trump in 2019.