Trump’s military parade becomes reality

WASHINGTON — Thousands of troops descended on Washington, D.C., on Saturday, accompanied by dozens of tanks and helicopters overhead, for President Donald Trump‘s high-profile spectacle to mark the Army’s 250th anniversary.

Trump, whose 79th birthday falls on the same day, has long pushed for a military parade in the nation’s capital — an idea that was swatted down during his first term by Pentagon officials.

Now, with full control of government and an administration stacked with loyalists, Trump got the grandiose show of force he’s always envisioned — even if it is drawing critics.

Outside of D.C., thousands of Trump’s opponents gathered across the nation as part of “No Kings Day” demonstrations to protest his administration’s policies.

Demonstrations took place in major cities, including New York, Chicago and Philadelphia, and also smaller towns. Some of the protests saw clashes with counter-protesters and law enforcement.

Meanwhile, in Minnesota, law enforcement officials warned the public not to attend the planned demonstrations across the state following targeted shootings of Democratic state lawmakers overnight.

Some protesters still showed up at demonstrations in the state, with some saying the events that transpired overnight made the events more important.

The dramatic split screen comes against the backdrop of ongoing tensions in Los Angeles that have escalated since Trump deployed the National Guard to quell protests over immigration enforcement polices.

Earlier this week, Trump issued a stark warning that any protesters in Washington, D.C., will be met with “very big force.” As of Saturday evening, the day remained calm in the nation’s capital.

Trump’s parade started about thirty minutes earlier than initially planned due to thunderstorms expected in Washington, D.C., on Saturday evening.

But Trump, aware of the weather threat, told his supporters in a Truth Social post earlier on Saturday that the parade would go on “RAIN OR SHINE.”

Some of the flyovers planned for the parade were cancelled due to the weather, NBC News reported, per a U.S. Secret Service official.

A number of Trump’s cabinet members joined him at the event, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Trump was accompanied on stage by his wife, First Lady Melania Trump.

Throughout the day, there were military demonstrations and a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The event was expected to be the largest military parade in Washington, D.C., since 1991, when President George H. W. Bush held a military parade at the conclusion of the Gulf War.

The parade also comes amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, following Israel’s attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites, and Iran’s retaliatory attacks.

“It’ll give downtown Moscow or downtown Beijing vibes, it’ll feel like a whole nother authoritarian, communist country,” Arizona-based Republican strategist Barrett Marson told CNBC.

One particular sticking point for critics of the event, including some Republicans, was its high price tag.

Altogether, the event could cost up to $45 million, according to an Army spokesperson.

The parade’s cost has come under heavy criticism as congressional Republicans attempt to pass the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which includes tax cuts for business owners, investors and homeowners in high-tax areas that would add an estimated $4 trillion or more to the federal deficit.

Sen. John Kennedy,…