CNN cut to a commercial about a half-hour into President Trump's Fourth of July speech Thursday, the event having evidently not proven important enough to remain tuned in to despite several days of controversy leading up to it.

The cable network cut away as Trump was giving a salute to the U.S. Air Force, part of the event's tribute to the five branches of the U.S. military, and a B-2 flyover.

The cable channel had devoted the hours leading up to the event to covering the controversy surrounding it. When leaked excerpts of Trump's speech revealed nothing that was controversial, the network's pundits suggested that Trump might still stray from the speech.

"Military chiefs have concerns about the politicization of President Donald Trump's July 4 event, a source with direct knowledge told CNN ... If the President turns what is meant to be celebration into an overtly political event, he could put military personnel in the position of violating Defense Department guidelines prohibiting men and women in uniform from engaging in political activity," the network reported earlier in the day.

Trump's speech turned out to be a roughly 50-minute salute to the soldiers, sailors, pilots, and marines who defend the country.

"Today, we come together as one nation with this very special Salute to America. We celebrate our history, our people, and the heroes who proudly defend our flag — the brave men and women of the United States military," he said.

Among CNN's cable news competitors, Fox News carried the "Salute to America" event live while MSNBC aired the first Democratic presidential primary debate instead.