Trump Hosts $45 Million Military Parade For Himself Before Underwhelming Crowd [View all]
Source: Huff Post
Jun 14, 2025, 09:25 PM EDT
WASHINGTON President Donald Trump finally got his North Korea-style military parade for his birthday Saturday, which featured tanks and rocket launchers rolling down the streets of the capital city before smaller-than-expected crowds. Every other country celebrates their victories, its about time America did too, Trump said in a brief, eight-minute speech. It followed the two-hour parade down Constitution Avenue, during which Trump primarily sat, appeared bored, but occasionally stood to salute the passing troops and military hardware.
Trump and his administration have claimed that the parade was actually to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Armys founding by the Continental Congress in 1775, not Trumps 79th. Its unclear whether the Navy and the Marine Corps, branches also founded in 1775, will similarly get $45 million parades this year. Neither Trump nor the Pentagon has mentioned any such plans.
Whats more, preceding Trump at the lectern, Vice President JD Vance described Trumps coming remarks as the main event of the evening.
Despite Trumps attempts to hype the event, attendance appeared light there were considerably fewer people on the National Mall on Saturday than there would be for a typical Fourth of July celebration. And attendance at Trumps parade was dwarfed by the millions who showed up at roughly 2,000 anti-Trump No Kings protests in cities and towns all over the country.
Read more: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-military-parade_n_684e145ee4b0417963bbc79b