A grand military parade unfolded on the National Mall Saturday evening to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army—but across the country, the event ignited a wave of large-scale protests aimed squarely at President Donald Trump.
Tens of thousands lined Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C., many clad in red “Make America Great Again” hats, as troops in historic uniforms marched past, paratroopers jumped from planes, and World War II-era aircraft flew overhead. Seated behind bulletproof glass, President Trump watched the display alongside First Lady Melania Trump and members of his Cabinet. Later, he addressed the crowd before a fireworks display, declaring: “Whenever duty calls, whatever danger comes, the American soldier will be there.”
Though officially a tribute to the Army’s 250th birthday, the parade coincided with Trump’s 79th birthday and bore his unmistakable imprint—from the scale of the event to the prominent nods to private defense contractors like Lockheed Martin and Palantir in the parade narration. The event, reminiscent of the Bastille Day parade Trump witnessed in Paris in 2017, was long in the making and faced previous pushback over cost and logistics.
Estimates placed the total expense between $25 million and $45 million, including repairs to city streets from the heavy military vehicles involved.
As Washington celebrated, hundreds of thousands—organizers claim millions—gathered in protest nationwide. Marches and rallies in cities such as Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago channeled frustration over what critics see as Trump’s authoritarian use of power. Demonstrators denounced his use of federal force against protestors in Los Angeles, efforts to sidestep constitutional checks, and his aggressive immigration policies.
Protesters in Takoma Park, Maryland, waved signs reading “No Kings” and “F—k ICE,” while in Mountainside, New Jersey, families stood beneath banners proclaiming “No Kings Since 1776.” In Washington’s Lafayette Park—where Trump once ordered the National Guard to clear protestors during his first term—a crowd chanted “Trump must go now!” beneath a banner mocking the president as “Commander Bone Spurs.”
“I feel targeted every time I go out of the house,” said Martha Dominguez, a mental health worker and U.S. citizen protesting Trump’s immigration actions. “He thinks he’s a king. We’re here to remind him he’s not.”
While the parade served as a patriotic celebration for many, others saw it as a rallying cry to resist a presidency they believe has trampled democratic norms.
Still, the event continued without major incident, concluding with Trump administering the Oath of Enlistment to a new group of Army recruits and a musical performance by country singer Warren Zeiders.
As night fell in the capital, the nation remained starkly divided—one half waving flags in celebration, the other raising banners in protest.
