President Donald Trump will host a huge military parade on Saturday, tied to the US Army’s 250th anniversary and his own 79th birthday. Yet the event is up against substantial challenges, including heavy rain predictions, growing protests throughout the country, and increased tensions around the planet after Israeli missile strikes on Iran.
Protests Break Out Across US
What initially started as week-long demonstrations in Los Angeles against Trump’s immigration policies has now spread to cities like Chicago, New York, San Antonio, and Washington. Demonstrators have marched under the rallying cry “No Kings,” citing that no leader should be above the law.
Anti-Trump organizations have organized almost 2,000 nationwide protests to coincide with the military parade. If they are carried out as intended, they would be one of the biggest demonstrations against Trump since he resumed office in January.
The move by Trump to send National Guard soldiers and U.S. Marines to Los Angeles, a Democratic bastion, was received with intense criticism. California Governor Gavin Newsom has already taken the deployment to court.
“You’re Not Doing It to Celebrate the Army’s Birthday”
The critics say that the parade is done more to glorify Trump than to celebrate the Army. U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, a veteran of the Iraq War and double amputee, said, “You’re not doing it to celebrate the Army’s birthday. You’re doing it to stroke Donald Trump’s ego.”
She continued, “If you’re going to celebrate the birthday of the Army and spend $30 million, I would have you consider something like perhaps investing the money in day care for the families of the military, perhaps military family tuition reimbursement.”
Security Measures and Spectacle
Security will be stern in the capital, with 30 kilometers of 8-foot-high fencing, supported by concrete blocks, surrounding central monuments like the Washington Monument. Law enforcement agencies have placed thousands of officers, drones, and federal agents on duty. The FAA will ground flights at Reagan National Airport during the parade.
The U.S. Army has deployed almost 7,000 soldiers with 150 military trucks, including 25 M1 Abrams tanks, 28 Stryker trucks, and artillery equipment. The flyover will include both new and old planes like Apache choppers, Chinooks, B-25 bombers, and P-51 Mustangs.
Army officials have, in spite of criticism, justified the cost of the event, $25–45 million, calling the 250th anniversary a “historic milestone.”
Middle East Tensions and Bad Weather Add to Concerns
The parade also occurs against a backdrop of worldwide uncertainty. Before the event, Israel carried out airstrikes throughout Iran, sparking fears of regional war. American intelligence agencies are at heightened alert.
In the meantime, the Army has promised to go on with the parade “rain or shine,” but the weather forecast predicts thunderstorms during Saturday night’s festivities. The Army has placed metal plates on roads to avoid damaging the tanks and spent millions on possible repairs, though authorities predict minimal disruption.
