President Donald Trump took center stage in Washington DC on Sunday as he attended the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, an IndyCar race he created.
First Lady Melania accompanied the President for the ceremonial sporting spectacle, which formed part of ongoing celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the United States.
The NTT IndyCar Series took to the streets of the nation's capital for a 147-lap race looping past historic monuments, with open-wheel cars reaching speeds of up to 185 mph.
Arriving at the start line in a limousine, President Trump greeted IndyCar staff, team personnel, and drivers alongside their wives and girlfriends on pit road.
He also greeted Roger Penske, the chairperson of the Penske Corporation and owner of the IndyCar series, who waited on pit road ahead of the event.
The President's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., and his wife Bettina were also seen arriving for the competition, leading a host of high-profile political figures in attendance.
Ceremonial lap past national monuments
Trump was granted the honor of performing a ceremonial lap around the 1.7-mile street track inside his official armored limousine, known as The Beast.
A motorcade of Secret Service security vehicles accompanied the presidential limousine around the circuit before returning to the start line.
Trump was scheduled to wave the green flag to signal the start of the race, which was set to begin at 1pm ET.
"The track is wonderful," Trump told Fox Sports in a pre-race interview. "We're going around the Capitol. This turned out to be a better track, and so now we see the Capitol. You see it right behind you. I want everyone to be safe, and I want the people to have a good time."
The 1.7-mile track wove past several iconic landmarks in Washington, including the National Mall, the Washington Monument, and the US Capitol Building.
Pennsylvania Avenue, the landmark thoroughfare connecting the White House to the Capitol, served as a core section of the temporary street circuit.
Pre-race flyover and military performances
Pre-race celebrations began with an aerial flyover by US Army Chinook, Black Hawk, and Apache helicopters over the circuit.
The US Army's Pershing's Own musical unit also performed on the track ahead of the race start.
International motorsport leaders praised the creation of the event in the nation's capital.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA, commended the initiative in an official statement.
"The Freedom 250 INDYCAR race pairs 250 years of American achievement with a sport that embodies speed, ingenuity and the freedom of the open road," Ben Sulayem said.
"This is a landmark event, and it is an honour for the FIA to be a part of it. Congratulations to President Trump, the U.S. Government, INDYCAR, our Member Club ACCUS, and all involved on making this vision a reality."
Executive order and race origins
President Trump established the Freedom 250 Grand Prix by signing an executive order in the Oval Office back in January.
The signing ceremony took place alongside Roger Penske, the racing legend whose company acquired the IndyCar series and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2020.
Trump told Fox Sports that Penske had spent two decades trying to organize a race in Washington before the executive action was taken.
"Roger Penske told me they've been trying to do it for 20 years," Trump said. "I think he said he was down 211 times to try and get it done. And when he came to see Trump, it got done in about 15 minutes."
Trump added that attendance demand exceeded initial expectations, stating that authorities closed bridges because an estimated 350,000 people sought to attend.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy attended the January Oval Office meeting alongside his wife, Fox News host Rachel Campos-Duffy.
Duffy revealed that President Trump instructed him to think outside the box to deliver something historic and cool for the country's 250th anniversary celebrations.
Duffy noted that he was initially unaware of Penske's long-standing efforts to bring racing to Washington.
"But to think, 190 miles per hour down Pennsylvania Avenue, this is going to be wild," Duffy said.
Duffy noted that the last recorded race on the streets of Washington took place in 1801, when President Thomas Jefferson hosted a horse race.
White House showcase and anniversary lineup
The Trump administration previously organized a promotional showcase outside the White House in July to build anticipation for the race.
IndyCar drivers Alex Palou, Felix Rosenqvist, and David Malukas participated in the July showcase, which featured a live pit stop demonstration in front of the West Wing.
"And they're going to put up something that's really amazing," Trump said regarding the anniversary schedule. "It's really having to do with our great 250th birthday. We're having so many wonderful things."
The Freedom 250 Grand Prix forms part of a broader series of sporting events hosted or attended by Trump to mark the US semiquincentennial.
On June 14, the UFC held an event on the South Lawn of the White House, where Trump made a ceremonial walkout directly from the Oval Office to his cageside seat.
Trump also attended the final day of the Patriot Games in Geneva, Ohio, a national high school athletic tournament he established for the anniversary.
The Patriot Games gathered 120 teenage athletes aged 14 to 17, with one male and one female competitor representing each US state, territory, and tribal nation, competing for $250,000 in scholarship funds.
During his second presidential term, Trump has placed a strong emphasis on ceremonial presidential appearances at major athletic events.
Last month, Trump attended the World Cup final, where he presented the championship trophy to winning team Spain and joined the players on stage during their victory celebration.
