The U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary parade in Washington D.C.—set to include tanks, flyovers, 6,000 troops, and a flag presentation to President Trump on his birthday—draws sharp criticism, nationwide protests, and concerns over authoritarian optics.
A historic military parade celebrating the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary will unfold in Washington D.C. on Saturday, featuring more than 6,000 soldiers, tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles, aircraft flyovers, and a parachute jump by the Army’s Golden Knights, who are expected to present the American flag to President Donald Trump. While the Army emphasizes the event as a long-planned milestone celebration, its overlap with Trump’s 79th birthday and recent military deployments has fueled controversy and political tension across the nation.
A Parade Years in the Making, But Politically Charged
Though organizers say the celebration has been in the works for over a year, reports from The Washington Post indicate the scale was modest until Trump—who has long admired France’s Bastille Day parade—was re-elected. Trump promised the event “will be like one you have never seen before,” and described it as a salute to American strength, with “thundering tanks and breathtaking flyovers.”
The 90-minute parade, scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET, will span just five blocks of Constitution Avenue, but will be bolstered by a daylong Army birthday festival on the National Mall and conclude with fireworks at 9:45 p.m..
Criticism Mounts Over Cost, Symbolism, and Militarization
The estimated $45 million price tag has drawn widespread criticism, particularly amid federal budget cuts. Trump defended the expense, telling NBC’s Meet the Press, “It’s peanuts compared to the value of doing it.” The military’s advertising budget alone exceeds $1 billion.
Yet critics argue the event resembles military displays typical of authoritarian regimes. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) remarked, “We were proud not to be that,” while warning the parade risks evoking images of North Korea and the Soviet Union.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, already battling Trump in court over the deployment of federalized National Guard troops and 700 Marines in Los Angeles, called the parade a “vulgar display” likening it to pageantry from Putin and Kim Jong Un. Newsom warned this could be a “prelude to further militarization” in other cities.
Nationwide ‘No Kings’ Protests Counter Trump’s Parade
In response, over 1,800 counter-protests are planned nationwide under the banner of “No Kings Day of Defiance”—a coordinated movement led by groups such as the ACLU, Indivisible, Public Citizen, the SEIU, and the Sierra Club. While avoiding D.C., the flagship protest march is being held in Philadelphia, with peaceful demonstrations occurring earlier in the day across the country.
“Instead of allowing this birthday parade to be the center of gravity, we will make action everywhere else the story of America,” said organizers.
“We reject strongman politics and corruption.”
Although Trump threatened that protesters “will be met with very big force,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later clarified that the President supports peaceful demonstrations.
Security Tight, Broadcast Coverage Extensive
With heavy military equipment already on the National Mall, security fencing has been installed around the area, and a massive security presence is expected throughout the day. Road closures and infrastructure damage are anticipated.
Broadcast coverage of the parade includes:
- Fox News: Four-hour special Army 250 Parade, 6 p.m. ET
- ABC News Live: Streaming coverage at 6 p.m. ET
- CBS News 24/7: Anchored by Major Garrett, with updates on CBS Weekend News
- NBC News Now: With Aaron Gilchrist, Kelly O’Donnell, and multiple correspondents
- CNN: Multi-platform coverage from D.C.
- MSNBC: Special programming with Ali Velshi, Jen Psaki, and more from 6 p.m. ET
- NewsNation: Four-hour special Tribute to America hosted by Leland Vittert and Anna Kooiman
- C-SPAN: Live coverage of the No Kings rally beginning at 1 p.m. ET
Weather May Be a Spoiler
The only major uncertainty now is weather, with the Capital Weather Gang predicting high humidity, scattered storms, and evening showers, which could disrupt flyovers, fireworks, and crowd turnout.
While the Army insists the event is a tribute to its legacy, dating back before the founding of the Republic, its proximity to Trump’s birthday and ongoing civil unrest has cast a shadow over what could have been a unifying celebration. Instead, the 250th Army Anniversary Parade is shaping up to be a national flashpoint over power, patriotism, and politics.