The Latest: 'No Kings' protests spread across US as Trump gets military parade
The massive military parade commemorating the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army, which coincides with President Donald Trump 's 79th birthday is being staged Saturday in Washington, D.C. The event is expected to include about 6,600 soldiers, 50 helicopters and 60-ton M1 Abrams battle tanks, as well as possibly 200,000 attendees and heightened security to match.
Opponents of the president's agenda are simultaneously rallying in hundreds of cities nationwide at 'No Kings' protests following days of nationwide demonstrations against federal immigration raids, including in Los Angeles, where Trump deployed the National Guard and U.S. Marines against the wishes of California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Here's the Latest:
Here's what to expect at the big parade
The tanks are staged and ready to roll. Fencing and barriers are up. Protective metal plating has been laid out on Washington's streets.
And more than 6,000 troops are poised to march near the National Mall to honor the Army's 250th anniversary on Saturday, which happens to be President Donald Trump's 79th birthday.
One big unknown: Rain is in the forecast and lightning could cause delays, but the White House said the parade must go one, rain or shine. And Trump said Thursday night that the weather 'doesn't matter ... Doesn't affect the tanks at all. Doesn't affect the soldiers. They're used to it.'
Daylong festivities celebrating the Army are planned on the National Mall — featuring NFL players, fitness competitions and displays — culminating in the parade, which is estimated to cost $25 million to $45 million. The Army expects as many as 200,000 people to attend.
A special reviewing area is being set up so that the president can watch up close as each formation passes the White House.
Cities brace for large crowds at anti-Trump 'No Kings' demonstrations across the US
Cities large and small were preparing for major demonstrations Saturday across the U.S. against Trump, as officials urge calm and National Guard troops mobilize.
A flagship 'No Kings' march and rally are planned in Philadelphia, but no events are scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C.
The demonstrations come on the heels of protests flaring up around the country over federal immigration enforcement raids that began last week and Trump ordering National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles where protesters blocked a freeway and set cars on fire.
Police responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades while officials enforced curfews in Los Angeles and Democratic governors called Trump's Guard deployment 'an alarming abuse of power' that 'shows the Trump administration does not trust local law enforcement.'
The Army is set to celebrate 250 years with a parade that coincides with Trump's birthday
The massive military parade that President Trump has long wanted is set to step off from the Lincoln Memorial on Saturday evening, with tanks, bands and thousands of troops.
And the biggest question marks are whether it will be overshadowed or delayed by either the weather in Washington or planned protests elsewhere around the country.
Falling on Trump's 79th birthday, the parade was added just a few weeks ago to the Army's long-planned 250th anniversary celebration. It has triggered criticism for its price tag of up to $45 million and the possibility that the lumbering tanks could tear up city streets. The Army has taken a variety of steps to protect the streets, including laying metal plates down along the route.
The daylong display of America's Army comes as Trump has shown his willingness to use his fighting forces in ways other U.S. presidents have typically avoided, inviting an array of lawsuits and accusations that he is politicizing the military.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Texas reps. attending anti-Trump rally warned of 'credible threats'
The Texas Department of Public Safety has warned Saturday that 'credible threats' have been made to state legislators and their staff who plan to attend an anti-Trump rally at the Capitol in Austin. This comes hours after two Democratic Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses were shot by a former appointee of the state's governor , Tim Walz. The DPS alert was sent out just before 1pm on Saturday, according to emails obtained by The Texas Tribune . Austin's 'No Kings Day' protest was scheduled to begin at 5pm, and roughly a half hour before, Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair and state Rep. Gene Wu confirmed it would commence as planned, despite the threats. 'We have every indication from the Austin No Kings organizers and Hands Off Central TX that our demonstration will continue,' Wu said in a statement. 'We are in active conversations with public safety officials, as well as state and local leaders to ensure have the opportunity to exercise their First Amendment rights without fear, intimidation, or violence,' he added. And ten minutes before 5pm, a man was arrested in connection to the threats made this afternoon, a spokesperson with Texas DPS told A state trooper with DPS arrested the man in La Grange, a city 65 miles southeast of Austin. The spokesperson said there is no longer an active threat against the Austin protest, which is one of more than 2,000 'No King Day' events across the country on Saturday meant to protest President Donald Trump's actions in his second term. Officials scheduled to speak at the Capitol protest include Democratic US Reps. Greg Casar and Lloyd Dogfgett; Democratic state Reps. Lulu Flores and John Bucy III; and Democratic state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt. Organizations involved with coordinating this large-scale resistance are strongly pushing back against what they describe as Trump's march toward authoritarianism on issues such as immigration enforcement, civil rights and cuts to the federal government through DOGE. The simple message people involved want to get across is that 'we don't do kings in America,' said Ezra Levin, the co-executive director of progressive organizing group Indivisible. The protests were also meant to counter Trump's military parade in Washington, D.C. , which began at 6:30pm ET. The threat against Austin's 'No Kings Day' protest came at a particularly sensitive moment. Early on Saturday morning, a gunman entered the residence of Minnesota state Senator John Hoffman and his wife early Saturday, shooting both and leaving them critically injured. He then proceeded to the home of former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman, where she and her husband were fatally shot. Both lawmakers who were shot were Democrats. Vance Luther Boelter, 57, who was appointed by Walz in 2019 to serve a four-year stint on the Governor's Workforce Development Board, has been identified as the suspect in the quadruple shooting. The first shooting occurred just after 2am at Hoffman's home in Champlin, about 20 miles from Minneapolis. Hoffman and his wife were shot multiple times, KSTP reported. The second attack took place at around 4am at Hortman's Brooklyn Park residence, eight miles south. After that shooting, police engaged the suspect in a gunfight on the street, officials said. Drew Evans, head of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, confirmed that the suspect escaped during the exchange and remains at large. According to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Boelter stands at 6-foot-1, weighs roughly 220 pounds and has brown hair and brown eyes.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Texas capitol evacuated after officials warn lawmakers of ‘credible threats'
The Texas department of public safety has warned state lawmakers and legislative staffers of 'credible threats' to their safety, hours after two Minnesota politicians were targeted early Saturday. An alert was issued just before 1pm local time, alerting legislators planning to attend a 'No Kings' anti-Trump rally at the capitol in Austin. The area was evacuated soon after, according to the Texas Tribune, which first obtained a copy of the warning. The alert said the state capitol had been evacuated 'out of an abundance of caution' after the DPS received a 'credible threat' against state lawmakers. Both the capitol building and surrounding grounds were closed temporarily, and officials did not immediately indicate when they would be reopened. 'DPS continues working with our law enforcement partners to address the threat,' the statement said. 'DPS has a duty to protect the people and property of Texas and is continuously monitoring events occurring today and their impact on public safety across the state,' the DPS statement said. 'A credible threat was made to possibly kill members of the Texas legislature at the capitol,' the state's lieutenant governor, Dan Patrick, posted on social media. 'I urge everyone to take appropriate precautions and heed the warning of the Texas department of public safety until that threat is no longer active.' Patrick noted the killings of the Minnesota Democratic state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, saying that what happened 'in Minnesota is a tragedy and our prayers go out to the families, friends, and those impacted'. Saturday's protest in Austin, which organizers have said will be nonviolent, is sponsored by the chair of the Texas house Democratic caucus, Gene Wu. The Democratic state representative John Bucy III, the Democratic state senator Sarah Eckhardt and the Democratic representative Greg Casar were expected to attend. Republican representative Charlie Geren later told colleagues in an email that the Minnesota suspect – identified by police as Vance Boelter, 57 – had a list of potential targets. 'It seems to be an isolated incident. However, we're always concerned about copycats and those who the attack might inspire,' Geren wrote. 'Your safety is our top priority, and we are taking all necessary precautions to address any potential threats.'
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Football fans DENIED entry into the United States for the Club World Cup - and lose £700 - amid Donald Trump crackdown
A pair of Benfica fans have been left furious and out of pocket after being denied entry to the United States ahead of the Club World Cup – as visa rejections spike amid president Donald Trump 's revived hardline stance on immigration. Two Portuguese supporters, who had booked flights and secured tickets for Benfica's opening match against Boca Juniors in Miami, have seen their travel plans shattered after being refused electronic travel authorisation without explanation. One of the fans, restaurant owner Fabio Vasques, said he had completed all the required documentation – including the ESTA application, the standard online form needed for visitors from visa-waiver countries – but was stunned when it was twice rejected. 'I filled it out three weeks ago and the answer came back negative,' Vasques told Portuguese newspaper JN. 'I tried again, and the result was the same. No justification was given.' Vasques had arranged flights from Lisbon to Miami via Madrid and paid for match tickets at the Hard Rock Stadium, where Benfica face Argentine giants Boca Juniors on Monday, June 16. He has now lost €820 (£695) in flights and $150 (£118) for the match ticket – and is hoping to claim some of it back through travel insurance. The group of four supporters had planned to stay with a friend living in Miami, but only two were cleared for entry. The other fan who was refused a visa declined to comment. The ESTA programme – officially the Electronic System for Travel Authorization – requires passport details, trip information, and US-based contacts. It costs $21 and is valid for visits of up to 90 days. But legal experts say applications are being rejected with growing frequency under Trump's return to power. 'It used to be rare for Portuguese citizens to be refused entry into the US,' said Nelson Tereso, a Portuguese-American immigration lawyer. 'But the rules have tightened significantly since Donald Trump's changes.' Those changes, first introduced during his previous presidency and now being actively enforced again, form part of a broader, controversial immigration crackdown that has dominated the build-up to this summer's Club World Cup. Riot police, ICE agents and National Guard troops have already been deployed to cities including Los Angeles and Philadelphia, where mass protests have erupted over immigration raids. Just this week, US Customs and Border Protection posted – then deleted – a message declaring they would be 'suited and booted' at Club World Cup games, sparking fears that matches could be used to identify and detain illegal immigrants. Though FIFA say they do not expect such actions at stadiums, the uncertainty has heightened anxiety for visiting fans.
