At Trump's Birthday Bash: The "Trump-a-Rama" Military Parade with Mass Protests
Military celebration unfolds in Trump's honor, meeting with widespread demonstrations - Military procession for Trump amidst widespread protests
Yep, ol' Donald Trump showed up to his own party on his 79th birthday. And what a party it was! He's gettin' his long-time desire fulfilled: a military parade right smack in the center of Washington D.C. As he stepped onto the stage with his lovely Melania, he sported a grin that could light up Times Square. Despite the massive nationwide protests, he seemed pretty darn happy.
"Every other country celebrates its victories," Trump exclaimed in his speech, stickin' surprisingly close to the prepared script, "It's time for America to do the same." Vice President JD Vance wished him a happy birthday, before country musician Lee Greenwood crooned "God Bless the USA." The crowd went wild and the grand finale: fireworks!
Officially, the bash was a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, the biggest and oldest branch of the military. But to many, it looked more like a personal gift for the prez, along with a political power display straight outta Trumpland, both on the home and international fronts. US media rough-drew the costs at up to $45 million (roughly $39 mil). And with heavy military vehicles blazing the trail, there's fears of potential damage to the streets.
Trump's dream of military pageantry is getting a reality check. The weather's all over the place, so they had to adjust the parade at short notice. And there's this thick, ominous cloud of concern hanging over Washington, not just because of the protests, but also because of a very specific threat situation.
In the small hours of the morning, a man in Minnesota went and shot dead a Democratic politician and her hubby. Another Democrat and his wife were seriously injured. The authorities say it's a politically-motivated attack. The perp's still on the loose, and they found a list in his car with the names of lots of other officials on it.
The situation couldn't be more tense. Just in the morning, Trump had a yack with Vlad Putin. It was kinda a birthday call, but both sides said it was mainly about the Israel-Iran war. The escalating conflict in the Middle East didn't exactly mesh with Trump's foreign policy plans. He'd been all set on saying nope to an Israeli attack on Iran as long as he thought there was still a chance for a deal with Tehran. The talks with Tehran about the Iranian nuclear program, originally scheduled for Sunday in Oman? Cancelled.
But the show went on. The parade. Yep, "Rain or Shine," as Trump made clear on Truth Social. They moved it up just a tad because of the morning thunderstorms. The soldiers, in their partly historical uniforms, were stickin' to themselves, as the humidity clung to 'em like a stubborn significant other. Meanwhile, on the tribune, Trump was glued to the action, grinning and clapping, as soldiers played their instruments and marched alongside military vehicles, including heavy tanks, drones, and helicopters.
The parade was a chance to take a look back at the history of the U.S. Army. It was founded way back in 1775 – even before America officially broke away from Britain. Quite a history they've got there. According to the military reports, around 450,000 soldiers worldwide are still servin' for the Army.
As the parade started to wind down, the crowds started to thicken. Fans from all over the country rolled in to support their man. Some sold Trump merch, while others held US flags, wearin' their "Make America Great Again" hats with pride.
There was Nicole Lovvorn, from Alabama, soaking up the scene more than three hours before the start. She managed to score a front-row spot, seein' "the president and hopefully some military vehicles." This was, as she put it, "somethin' you only experience once in a lifetime."
But it didn't look like a good time for everyone. Under the motto "No Kings," demonstrations took place in cities all across the country. The participants were up in arms about Trump's authoritarian leanings. By the time the military parade kicked off, the organizers claimed more than five million participants in around 2,100 cities – way more than at the April protests.
It's been a tense few days in America, and the Army's been right in the center of it all. The deployment of thousands of National Guard soldiers and hundreds of Marine infantrymen at protests against Trump's immigration policy in Los Angeles has sparked a lot of controversy. And California Governor Gavin Newsom ain't happy about it, callin' it against his express wishes and sparkin' new protests nationwide.
In Washington, the day passed off fairly peacefully, though there were thousands of security forces keepin' everything under control. The "No Kings" movement called for no protests in the capital, instead organizing a "DC Joy Day" – a deliberately cheerful counter-program to the military spectacle.
- The US media reported that the costs of the military parade held in Washington D.C. for President Donald Trump's birthday were approximately $45 million (roughly $39 million), raising concerns about the expenditure on a military event amidst the ongoing politics and potential damage to the city streets.
- The political environment remained tense in America as a politically-motivated attack was reported in Minnesota, where a man shot dead a Democratic politician and her husband, with another Democrat and his wife being seriously injured. Authorities are still searching for the perpetrator and have found a list of other officials in the man's car.
- The Israel-Iran war was a significant topic of discussion between Trump and Putin in a morning phone call, with the escalating conflict in the Middle East causing concerns and potentially affecting Trump's foreign policy plans regarding a potential deal with Tehran.
