Donald’s big day out at Washington’s IndyCar race – from furious flag-waving to dubious weather forecasting

US president, pushing on with Freedom 250 festivities, makes over nation’s capital for Trump rally on wheels

• https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/aug/23/kyle-kirkwood-freedom-250-indycar-trump">Kyle Kirkwood wins Freedom 250 IndyCar race after Trump waves the green flag

He got the wrong end of the stick. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump">Donald Trump https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2091574030411219155?s=20">couldn’t figure out how to hold the green flag until his wife, Melania Trump, and Command Sgt Maj Matt Williams set him right.

Then the US president https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2091576915949707577?s=20">waved the flag fast and furious like an excited schoolboy.

The https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/aug/23/kyle-kirkwood-freedom-250-indycar-trump">race was under way – and his conquest of Washington DC was complete.

Since returning to Washington, Trump has https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/21/trump-lawsuit-threat-national-guard-deployment-report">deployed the national guard, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/23/donald-trump-reflecting-pool-metaphor">wrecked the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/25/what-is-the-white-house-east-wing-and-why-has-it-been-torn-down-in-trumps-renovation-plans">demolished the East Wing of the White House and https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/08/trump-kennedy-center-washington-dc">run the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts into the ground.

His face https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/19/trump-banner-justice-department">adorns the Department of Justice, and he still has grand https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/09/trump-arch-washington-dc">plans for a triumphal arch worthy of a Roman emperor.