Donald Trump spoke briefly at the 250th anniversary Army parade, after reviewing a procession of thousands of soldiers in present and past uniforms, an array of military hardware, aerial flyovers and a large fireworks display.
The weather did not interrupt the event, as Trump and members of his administration gathered on an elaborate reviewing stand set up on the Ellipse.
Lee Greenwood sang his standard, “God Bless The USA” and he, like a few others, also wished the president a happy birthday. Trump turned 79 on Saturday.
“Every other country celebrates their victories; it’s about time America did too,” Trump said.
Members of the U.S. Army drive a Paladin self propelled howitzer and Stryker infantry carrier vehicles in the 250th birthday parade in Washington, DC.
Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
The parade was a celebration not just of the history of the Army, but a nod to its future. Spotted among the tanks and weaponry along Constitution Avenue was a robot dog.
The parade’s starting time was moved up by about 30 minutes to try to beat rain in the forecast. As it turned out, there was only light rain.
Fox News carried the parade from start to finish, but other news networks dipped in and out of coverage. CNN did reports from the route, but also reported on other stories of the day, including new strikes on Iran by Israel.
On social media, some Trump detractors pointed out images showing empty seats along the parade route.
PREVIOUSLY: Thousands of soldiers, tanks and fighting vehicles and marching bands were expected at a parade down a five-block stretch of Constitution Avenue for a celebration of the Army’s 250th anniversary.
At an Ellipse reviewing stand is President Donald Trump, celebrating his 79th birthday, and he is expected to speak later in the evening. The event was scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT, but organizers moved events up a half an hour out of concerns over the weather.
There were long lines of attendees at security gates on the eastern end of the parade route.
With heavy security and miles of fencing around the area of the White House and the National Mall, the event helped trigger a nationwide series of protests, called No Kings, partly out of concern that the D.C. spectacle would take on the look of a North Korean leader reviewing his troops. The nation’s capital last hosted a military parade in 1991, to celebrate the U.S. victory in the first Gulf War.
Cable news networks and broadcast streaming channels planned extensive coverage.
Although the Army has been planning a celebration for more than a year, the parade is taking place following a tumultuous week, with concerns over Trump using the U.S. military to maintain domestic order. The ICE raids in Los Angeles led to protests and Trump’s decision to federalize the National Guard to dispatch it to the city, while 700 Marines also were ordered deployed.
The biggest threat of disruption to the parade was the weather, and the threat of storms and potential flash flooding. Trump wrote on Truth Social earlier in the day, “OUR GREAT MILITARY PARADE IS ON, RAIN OR SHINE. REMEMBER, A RAINY DAY PARADE BRINGS GOOD LUCK. I’LL SEE YOU ALL IN D.C.”
Despite the controversy over the parade and its cost, estimated at about $45 million, CNN’s Jeff Zeleny said that he was on the National Mall earlier in the day, where a festival was held to celebrate the Army anniversary.
“But now we are turning the page to the parade,” Zeleny noted, adding that he was in Paris during Trump’s first term when the president attended the Bastille Day parade and was enamored by the spectacle. “Yes, the Army is being celebrated, and the president is also being celebrated,” Zeleny said.
