It was Trump’s 79th birthday on Saturday, June 14, and he spent it at a big military parade in Washington, DC. The event was also tied to the 250th anniversary of the US Army.
They said hundreds of thousands came out to celebrate, but a lot of people didn’t quite buy that.
Trump arrives at the parade with a grand entrance
Trump walked out to “Hail to the Chief” and “Happy Birthday.” He was joined by Melania, his family, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and a few other officials.
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Military power takes center stage during the event
The military really went all out.
There were tanks and aircraft from different eras, parachuters dropping from the sky, and over 6,000 soldiers marching in period uniforms. The whole thing was built to impress.
The parade showcased the evolution of the US Army
The parade gave a kind of timeline of the Army’s history. It started with the Battle of Lexington and went all the way to present day.
You could actually see how things changed over time, right there in the streets.
Rare historic moment for American troops
This was a pretty big deal, especially since the last time U.S. troops showed up in these kinds of numbers was right after the Gulf War back in 1991.
Trump gives a speech to a crowd of supporters and soldiers
At the end of it all, Trump gave a short speech, about eight minutes long.
“Every other country celebrates their victories. It’s about time America did too,” he said.
Then he added, “We’re the hottest country in the world right now. If you threaten the American people, our soldiers are coming for you.”
Once the speeches and marching were done, everyone got to see a huge fireworks show over the Tidal Basin.
Officials claim a massive crowd despite skepticism
Steven Cheung, the White House communications director, said over 250,000 people came out, even with the risk of rain.
But not everyone believed that number.
Social media mocks the parade’s actual turnout
Photos and videos made the crowd look a lot smaller. Some people online had fun with it.
“Bro said ‘display of military might’. I see lawn chairs and a Bluetooth speaker,” someone tweeted.
Another joked, “More people IN the parade than AT the parade.”
Critics slam the event’s cost and purpose
The whole thing was said to cost somewhere between $25 million to $45 million.
A lot of folks felt like that money could’ve been spent better. Some said they felt bad for the troops being used for a birthday party.
One person wrote, “Military parades are a waste. I want our troops to be allowed to do their jobs, not be paraded around for trump’s birthday.”
Protesters show up across the country to push back
Trump said he’d wanted a big parade like this since back in 2017, but his team didn’t let it happen then.
This time around, protesters stepped in. One big march in Philly was planned to go directly against the DC celebration. A group called “No Kings” said it was to show the difference between their movement and what they called a “costly, wasteful, and un-American birthday parade.”
Trump and his team react to the protests
Protests happened in other cities too. They were calling out what they saw as Trump’s push toward authoritarian stuff, including immigration raids.
Before the parade, Trump warned the protesters he’d respond with a “very big force.” Afterward, Cheung mocked the demonstrations, calling them “an utter failure with minuscule attendance.”
He also posted, “It is sad Democrats and liberals would rather support criminals and illegals instead of celebrating the 250th anniversary of our great U.S. Army and Flag Day. But many more Americans are commemorating our brave military men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice and who those continue to serve our country.”
