Trump’s army parade sparks debate over patriotism and power

Washington, DC – The streets of the U.S. capital were dominated by tanks and military vehicles on Saturday, marking both the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army and former President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday. The grand parade, promoted by Trump as an “unforgettable” event, drew both celebration and sharp criticism.

During his speech following the hour-long military showcase, Trump defended the event as overdue. “Other nations celebrate their victories it’s time America does the same,” he said to an audience scattered across the National Mall.

Vice President JD Vance, introducing Trump, was the only government figure to mention the dual significance of the day. “June 14 is the Army’s birthday, and also the president’s,” he said, wishing Trump a happy birthday.

However, the overlap stirred concerns. At a nearby protest in Logan Circle, Marine veteran Terry Mahoney denounced the event as “dictator behaviour.” He argued that the military spectacle symbolized a troubling pattern of constitutional disregard under Trump. “This might just be theatre, but it’s the worst kind,” said Mahoney, among many across the country who protested Trump’s leadership that day.

Not all attendees saw it that way. Near the parade route, Taras Voronyy, who came from South Carolina, was less focused on the politics and more on honoring the troops. “It’s about the military and yes, Trump too,” he said, admitting he wasn’t sure whether it was more about the Army or the former president.

Trump’s desire for a military parade traces back to his 2017 visit to France’s Bastille Day celebrations. Though previously blocked during his first term, this year he succeeded, assembling a striking display of 28 Abrams tanks, helicopters, jets, and antique vehicles. This show of force has been unmatched in Washington since the 1991 Gulf War victory parade.

Spectators lined Constitution Avenue, watching a procession that spanned American military history from the Revolutionary War to recent conflicts. Trump’s arrival drew a mix of cheers and jeers from a crowd peppered with MAGA hats. Estimates suggested the turnout was below the expected 200,000.

Veteran Freddie Delacruz, who traveled from North Carolina, emphasized that for him, it was about the Army not Trump. “It’s a coincidence,” he said of the shared birthday. “I came to see the hardware. I spent 32 years in the Army.”

Delacruz dismissed concerns about Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to suppress protests in California earlier in the week a move a federal judge ruled illegal before an appeals court temporarily reversed the decision. Despite critics calling it an abuse of power, Delacruz saw it as presidential authority in action. “He has power, yes, but Congress is still a check,” he said.

Others, like Army veteran Aaron M. from Miami, defended Trump’s unprecedented use of federal troops without governors’ consent. “I’m from Nicaragua. I know what a dictator looks like. This isn’t it,” he said, referring to Trump’s grandstand presence.

But for protesters like 24-year-old Anahi Rivas-Rodriguez from Texas, the parade highlighted deeper issues. Marching near the White House, she condemned the militarization of Trump’s harsh immigration policies. “People like me are afraid. We don’t belong in a fearful America,” she said, criticizing the administration’s racial profiling and family separation tactics. In response to Trump’s claim that protesters "hate the country," she asserted: “Protesting is patriotic. I’m here because I care.”

Although some 60 arrests occurred in Capitol protests the night before, Saturday’s demonstrations remained mostly peaceful. National organizers of the “No Kings” movement avoided the DC parade, holding rallies in over 2,000 other cities, stating they didn’t want to “center” the president’s birthday spectacle.

Veteran Roland Roebuck, 77, attended the parade not to celebrate, but to object. A Vietnam War veteran, he accused Trump of disrespecting the military especially minority soldiers through anti-DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies and pointed to Trump’s avoidance of service during Vietnam due to “bone spurs.” Roebuck called the parade “a farce,” criticizing its $25–45 million cost during a time of federal cutbacks affecting veterans.