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Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Army parade and 'No Kings' protests face rainy weekend forecast
Forecasters say rain will be a risk across much of the country on Saturday, a forecast that could affect protests, a military parade and a high-profile mass in Chicago. A massive military parade is set for Washington D.C. while "No Kings" protests are planned for the weekend around the nation. Meanwhile, the huge outdoor mass in Chicago will feature a video address by the first American pope in his hometown. Rain and bad weather could disrupt all of those events. Here's what we know about this weekend's weather forecast: A massive military parade in Washington D.C. is being held Saturday, June 14 to honor the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Army. As many as 200,000 people are anticipated to attend the event, which also falls on the 79th birthday of President Donald Trump, a huge fan of parades. A festival will begin on the National Mall from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The parade begins at 6:30 p.m. and is expected to end at 7:30 p.m. A fireworks show will begin at 9:45 p.m. As many as 6,600 soldiers, seven bands and 150 vehicles including tanks, will roll down the parade route, the U.S. Army said. The celebration will also include several aerial performances from aircraft such as, the UH-60 Black Hawk, AH-64 Apache and the CH-47 Chinook. It might be a damp event. According to the National Weather Service, the day will be mostly cloudy with a high of near 88 degrees. Showers are likely after 2 p.m. with a chance of precipitation of 60%. For the fireworks, showers and possibly a thunderstorm are likely between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. Protests are planned in hundreds of communities across the country on Saturday, June "No Kings Day," the rallies are being held to oppose what organizers see as Trump's power grab and focus on participants' patriotism and support for the U.S. Constitution. American flags are expected to be front and center. Temperatures across the country will range from the 70s in the Pacific Northwest and northern California to the 80s and 90s in the Midwest and Southeast and the 70s in New York and New England, according to National Weather Service predictions. Sporadic rain is predicated mostly for the Southeast and Northeast. Pope Leo XIV's hometown of Chicago is readying itself to celebrate the election of one of its own as leader of the Catholic Church on Saturday with an outdoor program and mass on Saturday, June 14. Tens of thousands of people are expected to attend the sold-out event. According to the Archdiocese of Chicago's website, the event will be held on June 14 at Rate Field, the home of the Chicago White Sox. Pope Leo will not be there himself, but a special video message will be shown. The gates to the ballpark open at 2:30 p.m. and the mass takes place at 4 p.m. Umbrellas and jackets might be required. The National Weather Service predicts a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms. The day will be mostly cloudy, with a high near 67 degrees. Pennsylvania is in for some heavy weather over the weekend, with heavy rains, showers and possible thunderstorms Friday and Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. In New York City, where a large No Kings protest is planned from 2 p.m to 4 p.m., showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. are forecast, with a 70% chance of precipitation. Parts of Texas and Oklahoma are anticipated to get "heavy to excessive" rainfall into Friday, according to the National Weather Service. There is a high likelihood of rainfall totals as high as 4 inches through Friday, with some areas seeing possibly as much rain as 6 inches, the NWS said. Widespread showers and thunderstorms are possible across much of the southern Plains, with a particular focus across central and eastern Texas, the ArkLaTex region and western Louisiana. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Army parade and 'No Kings' protests face rainy Saturday forecast
Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Heavy metal: Army armor, aircraft and artillery to roll and rumble for birthday parade
WASHINGTON – The Army promises a muscular display of armor, attack aircraft and artillery during its 250th anniversary celebration June 14. More: What time is Trump's DC military parade? See full festival schedule A vast array of weapons will roll down Constitution Avenue and rumble over the National Mall in front of a reviewing stand for President Donald Trump, whose birthday is also Saturday. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll told USA TODAY that it's simply a coincidence. Leading Democrats like Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, who leads the Armed Services Committee, say the parade is 'all about' Trump's ego. More: Army Sec: $40 million parade on Trump's birthday a 'Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity' In any case, the Army plans a serious flex of its might. Here are some of the heavy-metal highlights it plans to roll out: The M1A2/Abrams tank: Arguably, the most impressive and fearsome weapon in the parade, or pretty much anywhere. At 70 tons, the tank has Washington, DC officials worried that it will chew up its streets simply by moving. The tank entered Army service 45 years ago and first saw combat in Operation Desert Storm in 1991. The Abrams carries a 120mm cannon, robust armor and has a top speed of 45 mph. Bradley Fighting Vehicle: It looks like a tank, but the Bradley has a smaller gun, missiles and carries soldiers into combat. The Paladin: It also looks like a tank, but with a much bigger gun. The Paladin is a self-propelled howitzer artillery weapon that first appeared on battlefields in Vietnam. It has been updated several times over the decades. Stryker vehicle: Variants of these eight-wheeled, armored vehicles can carry infantry soldiers, mortars, command posts and act as ambulances. Strykers can carry up to 11 soldiers and reach speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. Infantry Squad Vehicle: This is the Army's latest answer to replace the Humvee. The ISV is based on a commercial truck but tricked out to meet battlefield needs. What it lacks in armor, it gains in speed and mobility. The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle: The JLTV is a brawnier troop carrier than the ISV and was developed with protection from roadside bombs in mind. UH-60 Black Hawk: The venerable workhorse helicopter has become a symbol of the Army's wars of the last 30 years. In Somalia, it gained notoriety in the book and film 'Black Hawk Down,' about the 1993 disaster that killed 18 soldiers in Somalia. For nearly 50 years, the Army notes that it has used UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters for missions including air assault, medical evacuation and resupply operations. A four-member crew and an 11-person infantry squad can fit inside a Black Hawk. It can lift a howitzer or a Humvee. Modified Black Hawks carried the SEAL Team that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in 2011. The AH-64 Apache: This attack helicopter cuts a menacing silhouette. It destroyed radar installations in Iraq during Desert Storm and provided air cover for convoys and troops on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan. CH-47 Chinook: The big, heavy-lift helicopter has flown air assault, resupply and medical evacuation missions for more than 60 years. With its twin rotors, the Chinook is still the fastest helicopter in the Army. The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System: HIMARS, as it is known, gained its greatest fame in Ukraine, where soldiers used its long-range accuracy to smash Russian headquarters thought to be safely behind the frontline. It can fire six guided rockets in quick succession or one or two missiles, depending on ammunition, according to the Army. Some of its missiles have a range of more than 300 miles and can strike a moving ship. Its ability to move quickly after firing makes it an elusive target. M777 lightweight howitzer cannon: The M777 is the newest, joining the Army in 2005. It has served a critical role in Ukraine's fight against the Russian invasion. It can loft a 105-pound shell 24 miles. More: Soldiers excited (and nerve wracked) to drive tanks in DC military parade This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Army 250th birthday parade features flex of heavy metal
Forbes
an hour ago
- Politics
- Forbes
Nation Braces For Trump's Military Parade—And Nationwide ‘No Kings' Protests (Live Updates)
As President Donald Trump prepares to attend an unprecedented military-style parade in Washington, D.C. later today—commemorating the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary and his 79th birthday—millions across the country are expected to protest, rallying against his expanded immigration raids and a spending bill projected to slash healthcare access for millions. U.S. Marines walk to the Wilshire Federal Building ahead of Saturday's nationwide "No Kings Day" ... More protest in Los Angeles, Calif., on Friday. This morning on TruthSocial, Trump posted 'This is a big day for America.' The parade is expected to begin at 6:30 p.m. local time by the Lincoln Memorial, with plans to continue down Constitution Ave. along the National Mall, past the White House and the Washington Monument and concluding with Trump's birthday festival at 8 p.m., according to an official map for the event found on the Army's website (see below). A White House spokesperson told NBC News that showers and thunderstorms could delay the event, with most of the day expected to be dry and cloudy. Organizers have said that the parade will go forward 'rain or shine,' CBS News reports. Most major broadcast and cable news outlets, as well as the Army, plan to stream the march live. Route of parade. (Courtesy of U.S. Army) The scheduled large-scale protests against the parade, part of a 'national day of defiance' that over 100 civil rights groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and 50501 are labeling 'No Kings,' have been planned across more than 2,000 cities and towns, according to The Guardian. News outlets report that the largest demonstrations are anticipated to take place in New York, Houston, Philadelphia, Chicago and Phoenix. Only in Texas, where Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered the deployment of more than 5,000 Texas National Guard troops on Thursday, as well as over 2,000 state police, to 'maintain order at these protests,' he posted on X. In Mississippi, nearly 280 National Guard members were activated, but to help security in D.C. Nearly 4,000 guard members and 700 Marines have been deployed to Los Angeles since the beginning of the protests there. WTOP News reported 'tight security' in place for Saturday's festival and parade, with separate security entrances for each event. A Secret Service agent told WTOP there will be 18-and-a-half miles of antiscale fencing, 17 miles of bike racks, concrete barriers, 175 magnetometers and officers from federal, state and local agencies.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
More Americans support than oppose Trump's Army celebration parade: Poll
As President Donald Trump hosts events on Saturday to celebrate the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary, a new national poll indicates more Americans are likely to approve than disapprove of the president's decision to hold a military parade. But six in 10 Americans are concerned about the cost of the parade, saying it's "not a good use" of government money, according to an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey. Trump, who is marking his 79th birthday on Saturday, is scheduled to give a speech during the parade, which will take place Saturday evening along the National Mall in Washington D.C. Defense officials say roughly 6,600 soldiers will march in the parade, with some 50 military aircraft and 150 vehicles, including tanks, rocket launchers, and missiles. The Army says it's spending $25-$45 million to pay for the parade, which includes fixing D.C. streets damaged by the tanks. Trump Warns Any Protesters At His Military Parade Will Be 'Met With Very Big Force' Trump has defended the cost of the parade, saying last month in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press" that it would be "peanuts compared to the value of doing it." Read On The Fox News App "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," the president said. Trump To Host Military Parade To Celebrate Army's 250Th Birthday But some in Congress are criticizing the parade, saying the money could be better spent. "If it was really about celebrating military families, we could put $30 million toward helping them offset the cost of their child care, food assistance and tuition," Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a military veteran who lost both of her legs in combat while piloting an Army Black Hawk helicopter during the Iraq War, said in a social media post. "But it isn't. Trump is throwing himself a $30 million birthday parade just to stroke his own ego," Duckworth argued. According to the poll, 40% of adults nationwide approved of the military parade, with 29% disapproving, and three in 10 neither approving nor disapproving. There was an expected partisan divide, with two-thirds of Republicans approving of the president's move to hold the parade, and half of Democrats disapproving. But in a separate question, 60% of those surveyed said holding the parade was not a good use of government funds, with 38% disagreeing. Nearly two-thirds of Republicans said holding the parade was a good use of government funds, while eight in 10 Democrats disagreed. The White House, in a statement, said that the parade "will be a unifying celebration for not only the thousands in attendance, but Americans across the country who can participate in honoring our active-duty servicemembers, Veterans, and fallen heroes." Pro-democracy, progressive, and labor activists are planning protests in all 50 states on Saturday that will coincide with Trump's military parade. Many are part of a series of "No Kings" protests across the country, with more than 1,500 rallies scheduled for this weekend. But organizers decided against holding a major protest in the nation's capital and instead will hold their main event in Philadelphia. The poll, which was conducted June 5-9, also indicates that 39% of those questioned approve of the job Trump's doing in the White House, with six in ten giving the president a thumbs down. The survey had an overall margin of error of plus or minus four percentage article source: More Americans support than oppose Trump's Army celebration parade: Poll
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Donald Trump set to flex military might at army's 250th birthday parade… but one thing could imperil celebrations
It was supposed to be a celebration - but it's also teasing America's military might. President Donald Trump 's massive parade marking the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army is expected to go ahead as planned Saturday evening, amid ongoing strikes between Israel and Iran - and looming fears of an escalation into World War III. What could stop it is the weather, as lightning in the area would push the Pentagon to delay the planned march down Constitution Avenue, which includes flyovers and parachute jumps. Saturday morning Trump insisted it was happening, despite thunderstorm concerns. 'OUR GREAT MILITARY PARADE IS ON, RAIN OR SHINE. REMEMBER, A RAINY DAY PERADE BRINGS GOOD LUCK. I'LL SEE YOU ALL IN D.C.' he wrote on Truth Social. It will be the first time the streets of the capital have been swamped with soldiers in since a celebration of the end of the Gulf War in 1991. The celebration falls on Trump's 79th birthday, but he has denied accusations the event is to mark his own milestone. He will still be front-and-center. The president is expected to deliver remarks, receive a folded flag from a parachutist and perform an enlistment and reenlistment ceremony. Overall, the U.S. Army is bringing 6,700 troops to Washington, D.C. for the occasion, along with 150 vehicles and 50 aircraft, according to the Associated Press. During the daytime the Army is holding a festival on the National Mall that includes a fitness competition and appearances by NFL players and astronauts, among others The parade, which is expected to kick off at 6:30 p.m., will showcase the evolution of the Army, using period uniforms and vintage equipment, including a World War Two-era B-25 bomber. Bradley Fighting Vehicles, M1A2/Abrams tanks - which weigh approximately 68 tons - and Strykers are among those being showcased in the parade. Last week the Army Corps of Engineers started putting down metal plating on the street in the areas where the large vehicles would need to turn in order to preserve the District's streets. One special moment that's expected is when the 1st Cavalry Division walks in the parade. The Texas-based group brings along with them 14 horses, two mules and a two-year-old Blue Heeler named Private Doc Holliday. At its conclusion, the Army's Golden Knight parachutists will jump down to the Ellipse and hand to Trump the folded American flag. After that, MAGA crooner Lee Greenwood and others will perform onstage at the Ellipse - and to end the night, there will be a fireworks show over the National Mall. The Army says as many as 200,000 people could attend. The inspiration for the military parade dates back to the beginning of Trump's first term - when he was invited by French President Emmanuel Macron to the July 2017 Bastille Day celebrations, which also marked the U.S.'s 100th anniversary of entering World War I, which Allied forces won. The president pushed for a military parade during his first term, but was unsuccessful due to cost concerns - the federal government would be on the hook for repairing D.C.'s roadways from any damages the tanks would incur. He did the next best thing - he moved the annual Fourth of July celebration from the White House's South Lawn to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Tanks were used to decorate Trump's 2019 'Salute to America.' The Blue Angels, Air Force One and other military aircraft flew over the National Mall - which is usually restricted airspace. On the campaign trail leading up to the 2024 election, Trump promised supporters that he would plan a grand celebration for the country's 250th birthday - July 4, 2026. Saturday's parade marks the start of that celebration, as the U.S. Army was formed more than a year before the Declaration of Independence was signed. Ahead of the gathering, a Pentagon source confirmed that if there is lightning in the area the parade could be postponed of canceled. Sources wouldn't elaborate on contingency plans just yet. A White House spokesperson pressed that some show would go on. 'Any changes to the Army Birthday Parade will be announced by the Department of Defense of America 250 Commission. No matter what, a historic celebration of our military servicemembers will take place!' deputy press secretary Anna Kelly told the Daily Mail. Overall the cost of the parade is estimated to be between $25 and $45 million. Polling released Thursday from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about 6 in 10 Americans believe the parade is 'not a good use' of taxpayer dollars, however more U.S. adults approve than disapprove of Trump's decision to hold the festivities. The poll found that about 4 in 10 adults 'somewhat' or strongly' approved of the parade, while closer to 3 in 10 'somewhat' or 'strongly' disapproved. Days ahead of the parade, additional fencing was erected around the White House and the U.S. Capitol and along some of D.C.'s streets, with major road closures expected. Workers erect fencing near the Washington Monument on Friday ahead of Saturday's military parade. Some protests are expected, however 'No Kings' organizers have advised demonstrators to do so in Philadelphia or the D.C. suburbs instead Due to the military flyovers, Reagan Washington National Airport will shut down Saturday from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. D.C.'s roadways are expected to be back to normal by Monday. In January a shocking crash occurred over the Potomac involving a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines commuter jet trying to land at DCA - killing all 67 people on board both aircrafts. Protests are also a concern as a number of 'No Kings' demonstrations are planned for Saturday. Organizers, however, have pushed potential protesters to take part in other cities including Philadelphia and at events in the D.C. suburbs of Virginia and Maryland, due to the heavy security footprint surrounding the parade.
