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3 days ago
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Sometimes a Parade Is Just a Parade
The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here. President Donald Trump has gotten his way and will oversee a military parade in Washington, D.C., this summer on the Army's birthday, which also happens to be his own. Plans call for nearly 7,000 troops to march through the streets as 50 helicopters buzz overhead and tanks chew up the pavement. One option has the president presiding from a viewing stand on Constitution Avenue as the Army's parachute team lands to present him with an American flag. The prospect of all this martial pomp, scheduled for June 14, has elicited criticism from many quarters. Some of it is fair—this president does not shy away from celebrating himself or flexing executive power, and the parade could be seen as an example of both—but some of it is misguided. Trump has a genius for showmanship, and showcasing the American military can be, and should be, a patriotic celebration. The president wanted just such a tribute during his first term, after seeing France's impressive Bastille Day celebrations. Then–Secretary of Defense James Mattis reportedly refused, effectively threatening to resign by telling the president to ask his next secretary of defense. Three secretaries of defense later, Trump has gotten enthusiastic agreement from current Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Criticism of the display begins with its price tag, estimated as high as $45 million. The projected outlay comes at a time of draconian budget cuts elsewhere: 'Cutting cancer research while wasting money on this? Shameful,' Republicans Against Trump posted on X. 'Peanuts compared to the value of doing it,' Trump replied when asked about the expense. 'We have the greatest missiles in the world. We have the greatest submarines in the world. We have the greatest army tanks in the world. We have the greatest weapons in the world. And we're going to celebrate it.' [Read: The case for a big, beautiful military parade] Other prominent critics of the Trump administration have expressed concern that the parade's real purpose is to use the military to intimidate the president's critics. The historian Heather Cox Richardson wrote on her Substack, 'Trump's aspirations to authoritarianism are showing today in the announcement that there will be a military parade on Trump's 79th birthday.' Ron Filipkowski, the editor in chief of the progressive media company MeidasTouch, posted, 'The Fuhrer wants a Nuremberg style parade on his birthday.' Experts on civil-military relations in the United States also expressed consternation. 'Having tanks rolling down streets of the capital doesn't look like something consistent with the tradition of a professional, highly capable military,' the scholar Risa Brooks told The New York Times. 'It looks instead like a military that is politicized and turning inwardly, focusing on domestic-oriented adversaries instead of external ones.' Even the military leadership has been chary. During Trump's first term, then–Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman Paul Selva reflected that military parades are 'what dictators do.' But these critics may well be projecting more general concerns about Trump onto a parade. Not everything the Trump administration does is destructive to democracy—and the French example suggests that dictatorships are not the only governments to hold military displays. The U.S. itself has been known to mount victory parades after successful military campaigns. In today's climate, a military parade could offer an opportunity to counter misperceptions about the armed forces. It could bring Americans closer to service members and juice military recruitment—all of which is sorely needed. The American military is shrinking, not due to a policy determination about the size of the force needed, but because the services cannot recruit enough Americans to defend the country. In 2022, 77 percent of American youth did not qualify for military service, for reasons that included physical or mental-health problems, misconduct, inaptitude, being overweight, abuse of drugs or alcohol, or being a dependent. Just 9 percent of Americans ages of 16 to 24 (a prime recruitment window) are even interested in signing up. In 2023, only the Marine Corps and Space Force met their recruiting goals; the Army and Navy recruited less than 70 percent of their goals and fell 41,000 recruits short of sustaining their current force. Recruiting picked up dramatically in 2024 but remains cause for concern. One possible reason for this is that most Americans have little exposure to men and women in uniform. Less than 0.5 percent of Americans are currently serving in the military—and many who do so live, shop, and worship on cordoned military bases. Misperceptions about military service are therefore rife. One is that the U.S. military primarily recruits from minority groups and the poor. In fact, 17 percent of the poorest quintile of Americans serve, as do 12 percent of the richest quintile. The rest of the military is from middle-income families. Those who live near military bases and come from military families are disproportionately represented. The Army's polling indicates that concerns about being injured, killed, or suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder are major impediments to recruitment. Women worry that they will be sexually harassed or assaulted (the known figures on this in the U.S. military are 6.2 percent of women and 0.7 percent of men). Additionally, a Wall Street Journal–NORC poll found that far fewer American adults considered patriotism important in 2023 (23 percent) than did in 1998 (70 percent)—another possible reason that enthusiasm for joining up has dampened. [Read: The all-volunteer force is in crisis] A celebratory parade could be helpful here, and it does not have to set the country on edge. Americans seem comfortable with thanking military men and women for their service, having them pre-board airplanes, applauding them at sporting events, and admiring military-aircraft flybys. None of those practices is suspected of corroding America's democracy or militarizing its society. Surely the nation can bear up under a military parade once every decade or two, especially if the parade serves to reconnect veterans of recent wars, who often—rightly—grumble that the country tends to disown its wars as matters of concern to only those who serve in them. The risk, of course, is that Trump will use the occasion not to celebrate the troops but to corrode their professionalism by proclaiming them his military and his generals. This is, after all, the president who claimed that Dan Caine, his nominee to become chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, wore a MAGA hat and attested his willingness to kill for Trump, all of which Caine denies. This is also a president known to mix politics with honoring the military, as he did in Michigan, at Arlington National Cemetery, at West Point's commencement, and in a Memorial Day post on Truth Social calling his opponents 'scum.' Even so, the commander in chief has a right to engage with the military that Americans elected him to lead. The responsibility of the military—and of the country—is to look past the president's hollow solipsism and embrace the men and women who defend the United States. Being from a military family or living near a military base has been shown to predispose people toward military service. This suggests that the more exposure people have to the military, the likelier they are to serve in it. A big celebration of the country's armed forces—with static displays on the National Mall afterward, and opportunities for soldiers to mix with civilians—could familiarize civilians with their armed forces and, in doing so, draw talented young Americans to serve. A version of this essay originally appeared on AEIdeas from the American Enterprise Institute. Article originally published at The Atlantic
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6 days ago
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This Awkward Clip Of Karoline Leavitt's Fumble During A Press Briefing Pretty Much Sums Up The Trump Administration
A moment from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt's Tuesday briefing is going viral, with critics saying it perfectly encapsulates the Trump White House's approach to foreign affairs. Leavitt was asked if the White House had a response to the presidential election in South Korea, where liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung defeated conservative rival Kim Moon Soo. "Yes, we do. In fact. Let me find it here for you," Leavitt said, flipping through a binder in front of her. "Should be somewhere in here," she said, still flipping through. Related: A Republican's Response To A "Tax The Rich" Chant At His Town Hall Is Going Viral After a pause and more shuffling, she added: 'Hmm. We do not.' @atrupar / Fox News / Via She laughed awkwardly as she said, 'But I will get you one,' before abruptly moving on to a new question from another reporter. Related: "I Am So Torn With What You Are Doing" — 11 Posts From MAGA Business Owners Who Are So Close To Getting It The clip quickly gained traction on social media. Critics said it showcased the Trump administration's lack of preparation and attention to world events. @RonFilipkowski / Fox News / Via @sycamoressource / Via 'A total clown show,' remarked the Republicans Against Trump group. @RpsAgainstTrump / Fox News / Via @odinikaeze / Via @JoJoFromJerz / Fox News / Via This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Also in In the News: People Can't Believe This "Disgusting" Donald Trump Jr. Post About Joe Biden's Cancer Diagnosis Is Real Also in In the News: One Body Language Expert Spotted Something Very Telling When Donald Trump "Held His Own Hand" At His Recent Press Conference Also in In the News: Republicans Are Calling Tim Walz "Tampon Tim," And The Backlash From Women Is Too Good Not To Share
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6 days ago
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Cringe Karoline Leavitt Clip Perfectly Sums Up Trump's White House, Say Critics
A moment from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt's Tuesday briefing is going viral, with critics saying it perfectly encapsulates the Trump White House's approach to foreign affairs. Leavitt was asked if the White House had a response to the presidential election in South Korea, where liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung defeated conservative rival Kim Moon Soo. 'Yes, we do. In fact. Let me find it here for you,' Leavitt said, flipping through a binder in front of her. 'Should be somewhere in here,' she said, still flipping through. Q: Does the White House have a reaction to the election in South Korea?LEAVITT: Yes, we do. Let me find it for you. Thank you. Um. We do not. — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 3, 2025 After a pause and more shuffling, she added: 'Hmm. We do not.' She laughed awkwardly as she said, 'But I will get you one,' before abruptly moving on to a new question from another reporter. The clip quickly gained traction on social media. Critics said it showcased the Trump administration's lack of preparation and attention to world events. 'A total clown show,' remarked the Republicans Against Trump group. When she gets a question that requires her to give an answer that doesn't involve praising Trump or trashing Biden, she's got nothing. — Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) June 3, 2025 A White House run by dumbasses — Sycamore's Source (@sycamoressource) June 3, 2025 Q: Does the White House have a reaction to the election results in South Korea?WH Press Secretary Leavitt: 'Yes, we do. In fact, Let me find it for you. It should be somewhere here. Thank you. Um. We do not.'A total clown — Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) June 3, 2025 Karoline saying 'we do' and then immediately following it with 'we do not' is the most honest accidental summary of this administration's foreign policy: confused, unprepared, and trying to fake it with a binder full of Bondi did that with Epstein files. It's their… — Evaristus Odinikaeze (@odinikaeze) June 3, 2025 Follow up should have been, 'Does the White House KNOW there was an election in South Korea?' — Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) June 3, 2025 Critics Gasp At Trump Official's 'The Thing That Matters' Declaration Trump Official Predicts MAGA Crowd's Sycophantic Moment During Army Parade Lawrence O'Donnell Reveals Why Trump Hasn't Dared To Clap Back At Elon Musk Yet
Yahoo
6 days ago
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Cringe Karoline Leavitt Clip Perfectly Sums Up Trump's White House, Say Critics
A moment from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt's Tuesday briefing is going viral, with critics saying it perfectly encapsulates the Trump White House's approach to foreign affairs. Leavitt was asked if the White House had a response to the presidential election in South Korea, where liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung defeated conservative rival Kim Moon Soo. 'Yes, we do. In fact. Let me find it here for you,' Leavitt said, flipping through a binder in front of her. 'Should be somewhere here,' she said, still flipping through. Q: Does the White House have a reaction to the election in South Korea?LEAVITT: Yes, we do. Let me find it for you. Thank you. Um. We do not. — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 3, 2025 After a pause and more shuffling, she added: 'Hmm. We do not.' She laughed awkwardly as she said, 'But I will get you one,' before abruptly moving on to a new question from another reporter. The clip quickly gained traction on social media. Critics said it showcased the Trump administration's lack of preparation and attention to world events. 'A total clown show,' remarked the Republicans Against Trump group. When she gets a question that requires her to give an answer that doesn't involve praising Trump or trashing Biden, she's got nothing. — Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) June 3, 2025 A White House run by dumbasses — Sycamore's Source (@sycamoressource) June 3, 2025 Q: Does the White House have a reaction to the election results in South Korea?WH Press Secretary Leavitt: 'Yes, we do. In fact, Let me find it for you. It should be somewhere here. Thank you. Um. We do not.'A total clown — Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) June 3, 2025 Karoline saying 'we do' and then immediately following it with 'we do not' is the most honest accidental summary of this administration's foreign policy: confused, unprepared, and trying to fake it with a binder full of Bondi did that with Epstein files. It's their… — Evaristus Odinikaeze (@odinikaeze) June 3, 2025 Follow up should have been, 'Does the White House KNOW there was an election in South Korea?' — Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) June 3, 2025 Critics Gasp At Trump Official's 'The Thing That Matters' Declaration Trump Official Predicts MAGA Crowd's Sycophantic Moment During Army Parade Lawrence O'Donnell Reveals Why Trump Hasn't Dared To Clap Back At Elon Musk Yet
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7 days ago
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Why is Donald Trump's phone lock screen going viral online?
While exiting Air Force One last Friday, Donald Trump held his phone and waved to the photographers, unintentionally showing his lock screen. The images have since gone viral online, as the US president's lockscreen shows a picture of himself doing his signature finger-pointing pose. One social media user, 'johnny maga,' posted a photograph of the lock screen with the caption 'Goes hard' while Benny Johnson, a conservative commentator, posted the screen on X with the fire emoji. However, most social media users had the opposite reaction, mocking the images, sharing their takes and making them go viral. The group Republicans Against Trump, wrote: 'Donald Trump's iPhone lock screen was spotted over the weekend. Yep, it's a photo of himself. Of course it is.' 'Trump having a photo of himself on his lock screen is the Trumpiest thing ever,' journalist James Surowiecki wrote on X. 'Just imagine what you'd say to a friend of yours if you saw that on his lock screen he had a picture of himself pointing at the camera,' he added. George Conway, a prominent Trump critic, posted: 'In Greek mythology, Narcissus fell in love with his own reflection in a pool of water.' 'Trump's lock screen was spotted on his phone last night—and it was a photo of himself. Is that not one of the most narcissistic, self-absorbed things you've ever seen??? Not his family, not his kids, but himself,' Harry Sisson, a political commentator and social media influencer, posted on X. Another social media user added: 'Trump having a photo of himself on his lock screen is the Trumpiest thing ever.' This isn't the first time social media users have commented on Trump's phone lock screen, which displayed the same background in 2023 while he was golfing. Trump was mocked again in 2024 after social media users noticed his phone lock screen in a photo that appeared to be taken on Air Force One. 'Of course. Trump's cell phone lock screen background image is a picture of himself. Not his wife, not his children, not his grandchildren … himself,' an X user said at the time. Elsewhere, Donald Trump has hit back at critics over a new nickname that has also been going viral: 'TACO' or 'TACO Trade'. At the White House last week, Trump called a reporter "nasty" after she asked him what he thought of his nickname, coined by Wall Street analysts, which stands for "Trump Always Chickens Out." The term / phrase has been doing the rounds on Wall Street to refer to the president chickening out on certain tariffs, causing market rates to rise. Trump defended his actions then responded by telling the reporter: "Don't ever say what you said, that's a nasty question."
