Tanks Roll in DC Parade on Trump’s Birthday \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ President Trump celebrated his 79th birthday and the Army’s 250th anniversary with a grand military parade on Constitution Avenue. Featuring over 6,600 troops, tanks, aircraft, artillery, and also facing concurrent “No Kings” protests nationwide. Critics denounced the $45 million spectacle as authoritarian and wasteful.
Quick Looks
- Massive crowd watched 6,600 soldiers and 128 Army tanks roll down Constitution Avenue.
- Golden Knights parachutists landed early amid light rain and overcast skies.
- Counter‑protests in hundreds of cities featured anti-Trump chants and satirical puppetry.
- Parade cost up to $45 million; 60% of Americans viewed it as poor spending.
- High security included metal plating on streets, barriers, and 250 new troops sworn in.
Deep Look
On Saturday, June 14, 2025, President Donald Trump finally realized a long-held vision: a massive military parade rolling through the heart of Washington, D.C., coinciding with his 79th birthday and the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. Branded as a patriotic celebration, the event became a flashpoint for political division, drawing both applause and protests across the country. It marked a significant moment in Trump’s post-presidency influence, blending military pageantry with pointed political symbolism.
The parade featured more than 6,600 uniformed soldiers, 128 tanks, 50 helicopters, and a flyover of historical and modern military aircraft, including World War II-era bombers and low-flying army helicopters. Along Constitution Avenue, streets were lined with security fencing, barriers, and reinforced metal plates to protect the city’s infrastructure from the weight of military machinery. Mounted soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division also made a ceremonial appearance, a nod to the Army’s storied history.
President Trump, seated under light rain at a viewing stand near the White House, stood and saluted as battalions marched past, with patriotic music echoing through the National Mall. The Army’s Golden Knights parachute team was originally scheduled to close the event but made an early appearance due to changing weather conditions, descending dramatically through cloudy skies to land near the reviewing area.
However, while the military spectacle unfolded in Washington, it was met with a loud counterpoint of protests across the nation. Organized under the “No Kings” movement, rallies took place in hundreds of cities, coordinated by critics who viewed the parade as an authoritarian display. Protesters carried signs with slogans such as “TRUMP MUST GO NOW,” “Homes not Drones,” and “The invasion was HERE Jan. 6th, NOT in L.A.” In Washington, a festive protest in Logan Circle featured street bands, pride flags, and a giant satirical puppet of Trump adorned with a crown and seated on a golden toilet.
The backlash wasn’t just about optics. Many critics focused on the event’s reported $45 million cost, questioning the value of such expenditure in light of pressing national issues. According to an Associated Press-NORC Center poll, 60% of Americans felt the parade was not a good use of government funds. While 78% expressed neither approval nor disapproval overall, that ambivalence didn’t soften vocal discontent from Democratic lawmakers, military veterans, and civil rights groups.
Even some Trump supporters expressed discomfort. Navy veteran Doug Haynes attended the Army’s birthday celebration but found the parade “a little over the top.” Pointing to a tank, he called the display a “very bold statement to the world, perhaps too bold.” Others defended it as a show of strength and pride. Larry Stallard, a retired pilot who traveled from Kansas City, shrugged off cost concerns, saying the federal government “blows that in 10 seconds on things that we don’t even need.”
The event also reignited concerns over the politicization of the U.S. military. In recent weeks, Trump authorized National Guard deployments in California without the governor’s consent and dispatched U.S. Marines to assist with immigration-related protests in Los Angeles—actions that triggered lawsuits and pushback from state officials. At Fort Bragg days before the parade, Trump gave a politically charged speech in front of active-duty troops, prompting visible reactions from soldiers and a pop-up “Make America Great Again” merchandise booth nearby. Military regulations strictly prohibit partisan political activity by uniformed personnel, and Trump’s actions have stirred unease among senior defense officials and members of Congress.
The parade itself, inspired by the Bastille Day celebration Trump witnessed in Paris in 2017, had long been a personal ambition. During his first term, attempts to organize a similar event faltered amid cost and logistical concerns. This year, it was added relatively late to the Army’s milestone festivities, giving the former president a platform to revive his vision of American strength and pride.
The night concluded with a concert headlined by Lee Greenwood performing patriotic hits like “God Bless the U.S.A.,” followed by a fireworks display over the National Mall. In a symbolic finale, Trump swore in 250 new or reenlisted U.S. Army members, reinforcing the military theme of the day.
While the parade brought a theatrical sense of grandeur and marked a significant national anniversary, it also deepened the political divides it sought to overshadow. For supporters, it was a powerful demonstration of national pride and military excellence. For opponents, it was a troubling spectacle of authoritarian overreach. In the shadow of the Washington Monument, amid cheers, salutes, and chants of protest, the line between patriotism and politics grew ever more blurred.
Tanks Roll in Tanks Roll in
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