Trump Plans Grand Military Parade to Mark Army's 250th Birthday, White House Confirms
President Donald Trump will host a military parade on June 14 in Washington to honor U.S. military veterans and active-duty servicemembers, and commemorate the 250th birthday of the United States Army—an event that also coincides with his 79th birthday.
White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly confirmed the plans in a
Vince Haley, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council,
The event is expected to serve as a centerpiece in a broader national celebration, following an
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, while confirming discussions were underway, raised concerns about the potential use of heavy armored vehicles on city streets.
The Epoch Times has reached out to both the Pentagon and the U.S. Army for confirmation of the specific parade plans.
Related Stories
5/27/2024
11/11/2024
This isn't the first time Trump has sought to hold a grand military parade. Inspired by France's Bastille Day celebration in 2017, Trump previously proposed a similar spectacle during his first term. That effort was ultimately abandoned in 2018 over cost concerns, with some
This year's parade would cap off the Army's official birthday festival on the National Mall, which is expected to
According to Col. Dave Butler, an Army spokesperson, the military is enthusiastic about the national celebration.
'We want to make it into an event that the entire nation can celebrate with us,' he said. 'A parade might become part of that, and we think that will be an excellent addition.'
The Army was established on June 14, 1775, more than a year before the Declaration of Independence. This year's theme, 'This We'll Defend,' highlights the Army's historical legacy as well as its modern mission.
'As we prepare for our future, we also reflect on our past,' Gen. Randy George, Chief of Staff of the Army, said in a February
In a Truth Social post that made no mention of the parade on Thursday, Trump wrote, 'We are going to start celebrating our victories again!' He also proposed renaming Veterans Day and Victory in Europe Day as 'Victory Day for World War I' and 'Victory Day for World War II,' respectively.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
31 minutes ago
Thousands of protesters crowd into streets, parks and plazas at anti-Trump 'No Kings' demonstrations
PHILADELPHIA -- Thousands of demonstrators crowded into streets, parks and plazas across the U.S. on Saturday to protest President Donald Trump, marching through downtowns and blaring anti-authoritarian chants mixed with support for protecting democracy and immigrant rights. Governors across the U.S. urged calm and vowed no tolerance for violence, while some mobilized the National Guard ahead of marchers gathering in major downtowns and small towns. Through midday, confrontations were isolated. Atlanta's 5,000-capacity 'No Kings' rally quickly reached its limit, with thousands more demonstrators gathered outside barriers to hear speakers in front of the state Capitol. Huge, boisterous crowds marched in New York, Denver, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles, some behind 'no kings' banners. In Minnesota, organizers canceled demonstrations as police worked to track down a suspect in the shootings of two Democratic legislators and their spouses. Meanwhile, ahead of an evening demonstration in Austin, Texas, law enforcement said it was investigating a credible threat against lawmakers. Intermittent light rain fell as marchers gathered for the flagship rally in Philadelphia's Love Park. They shouted 'Whose streets? Our streets!' as they marched to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where they listened to speakers on the steps made famous in the movie 'Rocky.' 'So what do you say, Philly?' Democratic U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland shouted to the crowd. 'Are you ready to fight back? Do you want a gangster state or do you want free speech in America?' Trump was in Washington for a military parade marking the Army's 250th anniversary that coincides with the president's birthday. There, a massive demonstration toured the city's streets, led by a banner reading, 'Trump must go now.' In Charlotte, demonstrators trying to march through downtown briefly faced off with police forming a barricade with their bicycles, chanting 'let us walk," while law enforcement in northern Atlanta deployed tear gas to divert several hundred protesters heading toward Interstate 285. A journalist was seen being detained by officers and police helicopters flew above the crowd. In some places, organizers handed out little American flags while others flew their flags upside down, a sign of distress. Mexican flags, which have become a fixture of the Los Angeles protests against immigration raids, made an appearance at some demonstrations Saturday. Protests were planned in nearly 2,000 locations across the country, from city blocks and small towns to courthouse steps and community parks, organizers said. The 50501 Movement orchestrating the protests says it picked the 'No Kings' name to support democracy and speak out against what they call the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration. The name 50501 stands for 50 states, 50 protests, one movement. The demonstrations come on the heels of protests across the country over federal immigration enforcement raids that began last week and Trump ordering the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles, where protesters blocked a freeway and set cars on fire. Thousands gathered in downtown Love Park, with organizers handing out small American flags and people carried protest signs saying 'fight oligarchy' and 'deport the mini-Mussolinis." Karen Van Trieste, a 61-year-old nurse who drove up from Maryland, said she grew up in Philadelphia and wanted to be with a large group of people showing her support. 'I just feel like we need to defend our democracy,' she said. She is concerned about the Trump administration's layoffs of staff at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the fate of immigrant communities and the Trump administration trying to rule by executive order, she said. A woman wearing a foam Statue of Liberty crown brought a speaker system and led an anti-Trump sing-along, changing the words 'young man' in the song 'Y.M.C.A.' to 'con man.' One man in Revolutionary War era garb and a tricorn hat held a sign with a quote often attributed to Thomas Jefferson: 'All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.' Thousands gathered in front of City Hall in a boisterous crowd, waving signs and listening to a Native American drum circle and dance performances before marching through the streets. Signs included 'They fear us, don't back down California,' 'Protesting is not a crime,' 'We carry dreams not danger' and 'ICE out of LA.' Protesters staged impromptu dance parties and, on the march, passed National Guard troops or U.S. Marines stationed at various buildings. Most interactions were friendly, with demonstrators giving fist bumps or posing for selfies, but others chanted 'shame' at the troops. One demonstrator carried a 2-foot-tall (60-centimeter) Trump pinata on a stick, with a crown on his head and sombrero hanging off his back while another hoisted a huge helium-filled orange baby balloon with blond hair styled like Trump's. Crowds cheered anti-Trump speakers in Charlotte's First Ward Park and chanted 'we have no kings' before marching, chanting 'No kings, no crowns, we will not bow down" and 'Hey, hey, ho, ho, Donald Trump has got to go." Marchers stretched for blocks, led by a group of people holding a giant Mexican flag and bystanders cheering and clapping for protesters along the way. Jocelyn Abarca, a 21-year-old college student, said the protest was a chance to 'speak for what's right' after mass deportations and the deployment of the National Guard to deal with protesters in Los Angeles last week. 'If we don't stop it now, it's just going to keep getting worse,' she said of the Trump administration's actions. Before organizers canceled demonstrations in the state, Gov. Tim Walz took to social media to issue a warning after the shootings. "Out of an abundance of caution my Department of Public Safety is recommending that people do not attend any political rallies today in Minnesota until the suspect is apprehended," he wrote. About a thousand people gathered on the grounds of Florida's old Capitol in Tallahassee, where protesters chanted, 'This is what community looks like,' and carried signs with messages like 'one nation under distress' and 'dissent is patriotic.' Organizers of the rally explicitly told the crowd to avoid any conflicts with counterprotesters and to take care not to jaywalk or disrupt traffic.
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Thousands gather for peaceful, high-energy No Kings protest in Fort Myers
More than 2,000 Fort Myers protesters spent their sunny Flag Day morning making it clear they don't want a monarchy. Or an autocracy. Or a plutocracy. The demonstration's name was 'No Kings,' but attendees aired myriad grievances with President Donald Trump, who was celebrating his 79th birthday in Washington, D.C. Saturday evening with a $40 million military parade for the Army's 250th anniversary. Former long-time Republican Larry Scrabis held a sign June 14, 2025, saying 'There is no K in the constitution.' The Fort Myers resident said it's time for people to realize 'We don't live in an autocracy. We live in a democracy.' The number of planned events is nearly double that of the April 5 "Hands Off" protest that saw millions of Americans turn out in big and small cities nationwide. The crowd reflected the region's demographics, with some using walkers and other pushing baby strollers. Holding a poster-board sign that read 'We the people serve no kings!' USA-born Ozzie Caballero, 23, a Cypress Lake High graduate was there to honor his parents, who fought to immigrate from Honduras. The vibe was upbeat and things stayed calm, confirming what Indivisible cofounder Ezra Levin told USA Today earlier in the week: "I think we will see the largest peaceful single-day protests that this country has seen certainly since the first Trump term." He is one of the organizers of the "No Kings" effort. One of some 2,000 such events nationwide, Lee County's "national day of peaceful protest" lived up to its name, with Lee County Sheriff's Office involvement limited to helping EMS with overheated or otherwise ill attendees, said a dispatch supervisor who only identified herself by her first name, Kallie. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had said the state is ready to 'quell any violence,' telling Fox News that local law enforcement, the state highway patrol and the National Guard would be ready to stop any violence or 'unrest' at the statewide protests. Signs included 'Dump Trump,' 'FMPD + ICE =ACAB,' 'Jesus said LOVE your neighbor, not deport them,' and 'Trump couldn't find Honduras on a map.' Standing with a group that included people from LaBelle and Immokalee, Rick Burnette said he'd come from a sense of 'deep, deep concern and love for our country.' His sign protested kings, tyrants, a militarized society, white supremacy and Christian nationalism. Holding a sign that said, "The only orange monarch I like is the butterfly," Naples resident Debbie Cahill said she wanted to represent "everybody that doesn't agree with what's happening now with our three-branch system being dominated by one (Trump)." Artists Lucas Century and Mary Voytek were there out of "deep concern" over human rights, Voytek said. "I just got back from Spain and they talked about similar situations. It is a recipe, it's a process, and it's started here," she said. She found it heartening that in "our little town of Fort Myers Florida" that so many protesters would turn out. Rachel Bass of North Fort Myers said 'A couple month ago, Fort Myers Police Department signed on to help ICE.' That makes her angry, she said. 'They're here to protect the community. Whether you like it or not, undocumented people are our neighbors, our friends, our coworkers. So, the fact the police are weaponized against them is turning the police on its people." Instead of signs, Mike and Eileen McHenry from Cape Coral held American flags. They'd come "to protect democracy," said Mike, an Air Force vet, as Eileen nodded. 'Using the military for politics? He could never do anything political,' Eileen said, gesturing to her husband, 'because it was just against the rules, but this president doesn't follow any rules whatsoever … Fascism isn't coming. It's here." This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: A few salty signs, but Fort Myers 'No Kings' protest stays peaceful
31 minutes ago
Military parade set to kick off in nation's capital as protesters around the country decry Trump
WASHINGTON -- Tanks, troops and marching bands assembled in the nation's capital Saturday for a massive parade of American military power requested by President Donald Trump, a show that was met by thousands of Americans around the country displaying another kind of power: protest. Hours before the parade honoring the Army's 250th anniversary was set to start, demonstrators turned out in streets and parks around the nation to decry the Republican president as a dictator or would-be king. They criticized Trump for using the military to respond to those protesting his deportation efforts and for sending tanks, thousands of marching troops and military aircraft out for a show in the U.S. capital. In Washington, anti-war protesters unfurled signs that said 'Homes not drones' not far from a display of armored vehicles, helicopters and military-grade equipment on the National Mall set up to commemorate the Army's birthday. Vendors outside the festival sold gear marking the military milestone. Others hawked Trump-themed merchandise. Trump has been wanting a military parade in Washington ever since he watched one in France in 2017 and his dream is set to be finally realized on a day that coincides with his 79th birthday. Doug Haynes, a Navy veteran who voted for Trump, attended the daylong festival to celebrate the Army's 250th birthday, but said that the parade scheduled for later 'was a little over the top.' Pointing at a nearby tank, Haynes said that having them roll down the street is a 'very bold statement to the world, perhaps.' The military procession was set to step off from the Lincoln Memorial later Saturday, under the threat of stormy weather and to the accompaniment of protests elsewhere in the city. Trump brushed off the possibility of both disruptions, with a social media post Saturday morning that said the 'great military parade' would be on 'rain or shine.' The protests, he said earlier, "will be met with very big force.' Hours ahead of the parade, crowds of protesters with anti-Trump signs marched toward the White House, escorted by police vehicles and officers on bicycles. Some held a giant banner that read: 'TRUMP MUST GO NOW.' The parade was added just a few weeks ago to the planned celebration of the Army's birthday and has drawn 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 along the route. About 6 in 10 Americans said Saturday's parade was 'not a good use' of government money. The vast majority of people, 78%, said they neither approve nor disapprove of the parade overall, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The daylong display of America's Army comes as Trump has shown his willingness to use the nation's military might in ways other U.S. presidents have typically avoided, inviting an array of lawsuits and accusations that he is politicizing the military. In the last week, he has activated the California National Guard without the governor's permission and dispatched the U.S. Marines to provide security during Los Angeles protests related to immigration raids, prompting a state lawsuit to stop the deployments. He similarly sought to project military strength during his first presidential term, saying in 2020 that he wanted forces to 'dominate' the streets following racial justice protests that turned violent and warning governors that he was prepared to send in active-duty fighters if they did not call out the National Guard in their states. Earlier this week, Trump raised eyebrows during a speech at Fort Bragg when members of the 82nd Airborne Division, who were directed to stand behind Trump, booed and cheered during his incendiary remarks, including condemnation of his predecessor, Joe Biden. There also was a pop-up 'Make America Great Again' merchandise stand nearby selling souvenirs to troops in uniform. The Defense Department has a doctrine that prohibits troops from participating in political activity while in uniform. Members of Congress and military leaders have expressed concerns about the political displays during the speech at Fort Bragg. Saturday's pageantry was designed to fulfill Trump's expressed desire for a big parade that he tried to get done in his first term after seeing one in Paris on Bastille Day in 2017. Trump said after watching the two-hour procession along the famed Champs-Élysées that he wanted an even grander one in Washington. Saturday's 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. The parade will wind down Constitution Avenue, lined with security fencing and barriers. Army helicopters and aircraft will fly above, and the march will be capped off by a parachute jump, a concert featuring 'God Bless the U.S.A.' singer Lee Greenwood and fireworks. It remained unclear whether any protests would disrupt the parade, though several hundred demonstrators assembled in the hours before. Officials have said they had no indication of any security threat. 'No Kings' rallies — organizers picked the name to support democracy and speak out against what they call the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration — unfolding in hundreds of cities — were meant to counter what organizers say are Trump's plans to feed his ego on his 79th birthday and Flag Day. Ahead of a rally and march toward the White House on Saturday afternoon, about 200 protesters assembled in northwest Washington's Logan Circle and handed out signs and danced to upbeat music from a local street band, including 'This Land Is Your Land.' The mood was celebratory as the group chanted 'Trump must go now' before erupting in cheers. A larger-than-life puppet of Trump was wheeled through the crowd, a caricature of the president wearing a crown and sitting on a golden toilet. Other protesters waved pride flags and hoisted signs, some with pointed messages such as 'I prefer crushed ICE,' referring to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Other messages were: 'The invasion was HERE Jan. 6th, NOT in L.A.' and 'Flip me off if you're a FASCIST." With rain expected, there was a chance the parade could be interrupted by thunderstorms. The Army expects as many as 200,000 people could attend the festival and parade. The parade is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. EDT, but parts of it — including the horse-drawn caissons and other units — start at the Pentagon, head over a bridge and meet up with some of the heavier tanks and equipment. Officials did not want the more-than-60-ton M1A1 Abrams tanks and Stryker vehicles crossing the bridge. Timed down to the minute, the march will be divided into sections by history — with equipment and troops in full dress from each period. It will include a total of 6,169 soldiers and 128 Army tanks, armored personnel carriers and artillery, while 62 aircraft fly overhead. At the end of the parade, Trump will swear in 250 new or reenlisting troops, and the Army's Golden Knights parachute team will jump onto the Mall. That will be followed by a concert and fireworks. ____
