Watch live: Hegseth hosts DC ceremony alongside National Guard to mark America 250

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is hosting a ceremony alongside National Guard troops at Malcolm X Park in Washington, D.C. The event, held during the city's hottest temperatures of the year, is part of the America 250 celebrations. This gathering highlights the Trump administration's D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force, an initiative focused on enhancing security and beautification efforts within the nation's capital. The ceremony began at 9 a.m. ahead of the Fourth of July holiday.