Trump hosts patriotic parade as Democrats plan silly protests against ‘kings.'
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Army Golden Knights parachute team practices for military parade
The Army's Golden Knights parachute team has been preparing for months to perform at the 250th anniversary military parade.
I've never liked parades.
Even growing up, they struck me as boring and kind of corny. How many fire trucks and floats does one need to see rolling down the street at a snail's pace?
But a lot of people do enjoy them, and they can be a good way of bringing communities, large and small, together.
Parades have dominated the headlines of late because President Donald Trump is holding one to celebrate the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary. The spectacle, which will feature tanks and soldiers, among other displays of our country's military might, will take place June 14 in our nation's capital.
The date also happens to be Trump's 79th birthday.
In a video previewing the parade, he invited Americans to attend the 'unforgettable celebration," calling it – in Trump fashion – 'one like you've never seen before.'
'For two and a half centuries, the men and women of America's Army have dominated our enemies and protected our freedom at home,' the president said. 'This parade salutes our soldiers' remarkable strength and unbeatable spirit. You won't want to miss it. Just don't miss this one. It's going to be good.'
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That all sounds quite patriotic to me, and it's in line with Trump's longstanding desire to properly mark the country's 250th birthday in 2026.
In his first term, Trump fashioned the 1776 Commission to help prepare the celebration and remind Americans what the Founding Fathers envisioned when creating our republic.
Democrats shout 'dictator' and plan ridiculous protests
Democrats, however, are freaking out (what's new, right?).
Sen. Adam Schiff of California, pompous progressive extraordinaire, called the planned event a 'dictator-style military parade,' putting Trump on par with global bad guys like Russia's Vladimir Putin, North Korea's late Kim Jong Il and China's Xi Jinping.
For years, the left has tried to paint Trump as a Hitler-style strongman whose authoritarian instincts threaten democracy itself. Clearly, that argument has failed. Yet, they persist.
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Liberals love nothing more than a rowdy protest, so that's what many are planning for the same day to show their outrage at the president.
'No Kings Day' is one of the most prominent anti-parade 'movements,' with at least 1,800 events planned nationwide. It has received financial support from the likes of Walmart heiress Christy Walton and a host of progressive groups.
'People from all walks of life support No Kings because our country was founded on the idea that presidents answer to the people – not to authoritarian overreach or violence,' said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, a No Kings partner organization.
That is rich coming from Weingarten, who helped orchestrate the devastating and needless school shutdowns during COVID-19 that harmed millions of children.
The 'No Kings' name is also ironic, considering Trump first got the idea to hold a big parade in 2017 when he attended France's Bastille Day celebration. The holiday marks a pivotal point in the French Revolution that overturned the monarchy and ushered in the country's democracy.
Not to be outdone with the silliness, the Women's March (remember the pink 'pussyhat' marchers from 2017?) is trying to revive itself by hosting circus-themed 'Kick Out the Clowns' protests, purportedly more than 300 events countrywide.
Activists will wear clown costumes to show their outrage at the Trump administration's 'clown-show fascism.' They have a 'goal' of setting the record for the most circuses in one day.
'We need to kick out the clowns, and end the greatest shitshow on earth,' the Women's March website proclaims.
I wish I were kidding … but I'm not.
Clowns aside, should we be worried about a military parade?
Back briefly to Trump's parade. Should we be worried? Is it a symbol of the president's devious machinations?
It's helpful to consider what's happened in the past. While military-style parades aren't common in the United States, they aren't unprecedented, either. USA TODAY has referred to them as 'retro.'
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'I see it like most things in American politics today,' David Dulio, distinguished professor of political science at Michigan's Oakland University, told me via email. 'Many observers would like to reduce this to something simple when, in fact, it's complex. Are military parades in the U.S. common? No. But are they unprecedented? Also no.'
The most recent such parade was in 1991, under President George H.W. Bush to commemorate the end of the Persian Gulf War. The inaugurations of former Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy also featured parades with military elements.
The fact the Army's anniversary falls on Trump's birthday is leading to a lot of Democrats' consternation.
It's true that our reality TV president has a flair for the dramatic. And it's obvious he holds himself in high esteem.
It's also possible that Trump loves the country, too.
Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at USA TODAY. Contact her at ijacques@usatoday.com or on X: @Ingrid_Jacques
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