LA County Sheriffs stand guard as demonstrators attend a “No Kings Day” protest against President Donald Trump’s policies outside City Hall, in downtown Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 14, 2025.
Mike Blake | Reuters
Tanks, troops and marching bands assembled in the nation’s capital Saturday for a massive parade of American military power requested by President Donald Trump, a show that was met by thousands of Americans around the country displaying another kind of power: protest.
Hours before the parade honoring the Army’s 250th anniversary was set to start, demonstrators turned out in streets and parks around the nation to decry the Republican president as a dictator or would-be king. They criticized Trump for using the military to respond to those protesting his deportation efforts and for sending tanks, thousands of marching troops and military aircraft out for a show in the U.S. capital.
In Washington, anti-war protesters unfurled signs that said “Homes not drones” not far from a display of armored vehicles, helicopters and military-grade equipment on the National Mall set up to commemorate the Army’s birthday. Bowls of red, white and blue punch were ladled out to attendees, along with slices of a large Army-themed cake that uniformed officials cut with a sabre.
Vendors outside the festival sold gear marking the military milestone. Others hawked Trump-themed merchandise.
Trump has been wanting a military parade in Washington ever since he watched one in France with tanks, soldier and jets overhead in 2017. His dream is set to finally be realized on a day that coincides with his 79th birthday and Flag Day, after organizers tacked the parade onto the lineup for the Army celebration. Trump got regular updates on the planning and made requests for aircraft and hardware to capture the might of the military.
People gather on the day of the “No Kings” rally in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., June 14, 2025.
Alyssa Pointer | Reuters
The Air Force also was expected to have a role, a U.S. official confirmed on Saturday. U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and F-22 fighter jets were to fly over the National Mall at the start of the parade — a late addition to the schedule at the specific request of the White House, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.
It wasn’t clear why they were added, since the 250th birthday festival and parade are solely featuring Army units, vehicles and equipment; the Army does not have fighter jets — only the Air Force and Navy do.
Doug Haynes, a Navy veteran who voted for Trump, attended the daylong festival to celebrate the Army’s 250th birthday, but said that the parade scheduled for later “was a little over the top.”
Pointing at a nearby tank, Haynes said that having them roll down the street is a “very bold statement to the world, perhaps.”
The military procession was set to step off from the Lincoln Memorial later Saturday, under the threat of stormy weather and to the accompaniment of protests elsewhere in the city.
Trump brushed off the possibility of both disruptions, with a social media post Saturday morning that said the “great military parade” would be on “rain or shine.” The protests, he said earlier, “will be met with very big force.” Hours ahead of the parade, crowds of protesters with anti-Trump signs marched toward the White House, escorted by police vehicles and officers on bicycles. Some held a giant banner that read: “TRUMP MUST GO NOW.”
Protesters gather at Daley Plaza holding placards and chanting slogans during a “No Kings” demonstration in Chicago, Illinois, on June 14, 2025.
Jacek Boczarski/ | Anadolu | Getty Images
The parade has drawn criticism for its price tag of up to $45 million and the possibility that the lumbering tanks could tear up city streets. The Army has taken a variety of steps to protect the streets, including laying metal plates along the route.
About 6 in 10 Americans said Saturday’s parade was “not a good use” of government money. The vast majority of people, 78%, said they neither approve nor disapprove of the parade overall, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
The daylong display of America’s Army comes as Trump has shown his willingness to use the nation’s military might in ways other U.S. presidents have typically avoided, inviting an array of lawsuits and accusations that he is politicizing the military. In the last week, he has activated the California National Guard without the governor’s permission and dispatched the U.S. Marines to provide security during Los Angeles protests related to immigration raids, prompting a state lawsuit to stop the deployments.
Earlier this week, Trump raised eyebrows during a speech at Fort Bragg when members of the 82nd Airborne Division, who were directed to stand behind Trump, booed and cheered during his incendiary remarks, including condemnation of his predecessor, Joe Biden.
Massive crowd gathered at the Ocean Beach of Pacific Ocean to protest ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) in San Francisco, California on June 14, 2025 amid protests over immigration raids.
Tayfun Coskun | Anadolu | Getty Images
Saturday’s event is expected to include about 6,600 soldiers, 50 helicopters and 60-ton M1 Abrams battle tanks, as well as possibly 200,000 attendees and heightened security to match.
The parade will wind down Constitution Avenue, lined with security fencing and barriers. Army helicopters and aircraft will fly above, and the march will be capped off by a parachute jump, a concert featuring “God Bless the U.S.A.” singer Lee Greenwood and fireworks.
It remained unclear whether any protests would disrupt the parade, though several hundred demonstrators assembled in the hours before. Hundreds marched through the city to Lafayette Park on the north side of the White House with signs that said, “Trump must go now.”
They had set out from northwest Washington’s Logan Circle, where they handed out signs and danced to upbeat music from a local street band, including “This Land Is Your Land.” A larger-than-life puppet of Trump was wheeled through the crowd, a caricature of the president wearing a crown and sitting on a golden toilet.
Protests dubbed “No Kings” rallies were being held around the country. Organizers picked the name to support democracy and speak out against what they call the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration, including the crackdown on immigration.
In Washington, protesters waved pride flags and hoisted signs, some with pointed messages such as “I prefer crushed ICE,” referring to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Other messages were: “The invasion was HERE Jan. 6th, NOT in L.A.” and “Flip me off if you’re a FASCIST.”
Officials have said they had no indication of any security threat.
Demonstrators protest against U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration during a ‘No Kings’ rally near the U.S. embassy in Berlin, Germany, June 14, 2025.
Fabrizio Bensch | Reuters
The Army expects as many as 200,000 people to attend the festival and parade. But with rain expected, there was a chance the parade could be interrupted by thunderstorms.
The parade is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. EDT, but parts of it — including the horse-drawn caissons and other units — start at the Pentagon, head over a bridge and meet up with some of the heavier tanks and equipment. Officials did not want the more-than-60-ton M1A1 Abrams tanks and Stryker vehicles crossing the bridge.
Timed down to the minute, the march will be divided into sections by history — with equipment and troops in full dress from each period.
It will include a total of 6,169 soldiers and 128 Army tanks, armored personnel carriers and artillery, while 62 aircraft fly overhead.
At the end of the parade, Trump will swear in 250 new or reenlisting troops, and the Army’s Golden Knights parachute team will jump onto the Mall. That will be followed by a concert and fireworks.
