On Saturday, June 14, over 6,000 soldiers took to Constitution Ave. to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States Army. Accompanying the procession were dozens of modern-day Abrams tanks, preserved World War II-era Sherman tanks, a B-25 bomber, and P-51 Mustang fighter planes. Paratroopers also descended onto the White House grounds, trailing red and blue smoke.
Several units wore Revolutionary and Civil War uniforms, intended to highlight the entirety of the Army’s legacy. Additionally, some soldiers rode atop cavalry horses and wagons, waving to attendees along the parade route.
President Donald Trump took to the stage adjoining the White House lawn. Alongside were First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and several senior Executive and military figures. Shortly after, Trump made brief remarks to the attentive crowd of onlookers and soldiers, remarking on the formidability of America’s fighting forces.
The parade commenced at roughly 6 p.m., 30 minutes before the scheduled start time. Event organizers and security officials claimed the areas open to event attendees had already reached capacity. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said the event garnered 250,000 spectators. However, patches of open space across the mall and on the North side of the block cast doubt on this claim.
Coincidentally, according to White House officials, the parade fell on Trump’s 79th birthday. This sparked heated debates around the country regarding the political neutrality of the U.S. armed forces. The parade also coincided with the Constitutionally unprecedented deployment of National Guard and Marine troops to Los Angeles. Trump deployed these troops to quell community dissent over Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in the city.
In response to the parade’s announcement, activists organized over 2,000 demonstrations in major American cities. Numerous outlets estimated what advocacy groups dubbed ‘No Kings Day’ as the largest single day of protest in American history.
“The flag doesn’t belong to President Trump, it belongs to us,” the ‘No Kings’ website reads.
Saturday’s demonstrations remained largely peaceful. Despite this, city officials report numerous injuries in Los Angeles. In Salt Lake City, a demonstrator died from a gunshot wound after counter-protesters arrived.
Broadly, Saturday’s events highlight deep political divides visible throughout the first months of Trump’s second presidency, and the promise of future ‘No Kings’ demonstrations and a harsher response from federal and local law enforcement does not indicate a quick resolution.
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