What to expect for Trump's subject parade
Washington — President Trump is attending a military parade Saturday evening to observe the Army's 250th day festivities arsenic helium celebrates his 79th birthday.
The 250th Birthday of the U.S. Army Grand Military Parade and Celebration features thousands of soldiers, tanks, and dozens of aircraft, according to Army officials. And authorities are expecting thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, to attend.
"We're going to person a large time; we are going to person a large celebration," the president said earlier this week.
The military parade doesn't statesman until 6:30 p.m. ET, though festivities are scheduled passim the day.
Preparations person been taking spot each week successful Washington, with tanks arriving and fencing going up successful the northwest portion of the metropolis astir the White House and National Mall.
What's the intent of the subject parade?
Saturday's events are intended to people the 250th day of the Army. The U.S. Army was established connected June 14, 1775, by the Second Continental Congress a small implicit a twelvemonth earlier the Declaration of Independence was signed. It was archetypal called the Continental Army, and George Washington was appointed its archetypal commander.
More broadly, the president has declared Saturday a solemnisation of the country, intended to admit America's accomplishments some connected the battlefield and disconnected it. Mr. Trump has peculiarly touted America's victories successful World War I and World War II.
"I deliberation it's clip for america to observe a small bit, you know," the president said Wednesday. "We've had a batch of victories. We've won 2 satellite wars … I deliberation it's a clip to observe our military."
Military instrumentality and soldiers, by the numbers
Here's what Army officials accidental to expect to spot successful the parade:
- About 6,600 soldiers
- Six M1A1 Abrams tanks
- Two World War II Sherman tanks
- Eight CH-47 helicopters
- 16 UH-60 Black Hawks
- Four WWII-era P-51 aircraft
Protests planned for Saturday
Protesters are expected to amusement their absorption to the subject parade and to Mr. Trump himself successful cities across the country.
Labor unions and wide activists purpose to counter-program the day's festivities with "No Kings" rallies to protestation what they spot arsenic Mr. Trump's overreach successful his relation arsenic main executive.
The organizers aren't readying demonstrations successful D.C., however.
"Instead of allowing this day parade to beryllium the halfway of gravity, we volition marque enactment everyplace other the communicative of America that day: radical coming unneurotic successful communities crossed the state to cull strongman authorities and corruption," they said connected their website. "For that reason, NO KINGS is not hosting an lawsuit successful Washington, D.C."
Political backlash to the president's subject parade
The president's parade plans person been criticized for some the outgo and the optics. As the medication and the Department of Government Efficiency person been touting their efforts to destruct waste, the parade and festivities to observe an equipped services subdivision day are estimated by the Army to cost between $25 cardinal and $45 million.
"Trump is throwing himself a $30 cardinal day parade conscionable to changeable his ain ego," Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a seasoned who mislaid some of her legs successful Iraq, said connected X past week.
Some deliberation subject parades are evocative of authoritarian regimes. "Never been a large instrumentality of goose-stepping soldiers and large tanks and missiles rolling down the street," Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky told reporters this week. "So, if you inquire me, I wouldn't person done it."
"We were ever antithetic than the images you saw of the Soviet Union and North Korea," Paul added. "We were arrogant not to beryllium that. And I don't — I'm not proposing that that's the representation radical privation to project, but I'm disquieted astir the representation that it isn't needfully the champion representation to show."
Democrats person besides criticized the president for informing radical against participating successful protests against the parade.
"If there's immoderate protesters that privation to travel out, they're going to beryllium met with precise large force," the president told reporters successful the Oval Office connected Tuesday.
Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware called the president's connection an "authoritarian tactic."
"He wasn't talking astir radical who were engaged successful violence," Murphy said of Mr. Trump's remarks successful an interrogation with podcaster Joe Gallina. "He wasn't talking astir radical who were doing spot harm successful D.C. He conscionable said anybody who comes retired to protestation my subject parade is going to beryllium treated roughly. That's an authoritarian tactic."
White House property caput Karoline Leavitt, however, told reporters Wednesday that "the president perfectly supports peaceful protests."
"He supports the First Amendment. He supports the close of Americans to marque their voices heard," she continued. "He does not enactment unit of immoderate kind. He does not enactment assaulting instrumentality enforcement officers who are simply trying to bash their job."
What is the schedule?
8:15 a.m. – Wreath laying astatine Arlington National Cemetery
9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Fitness contention and awards ceremonial connected the National Mall
11 a.m.-6 p.m. – Army Birthday Festival connected the National Mall
6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. – U.S. Army 250th Birthday Parade
9:45 p.m. – Fireworks connected the National Mall
Here's the parade route
The parade route runs on Constitution Avenue successful Washington, D.C., parallel to the National Mall. It kicks disconnected astatine 23rd Street NW, adjacent the Lincoln Memorial, earlier proceeding on the Mall past the White House and the Washington Monument. It concludes astatine 15th Street NW. The parade begins astatine 6:30 p.m., and should reason astir 7:30 p.m.
The parade and different festivities are shutting down oregon restrict postulation successful ample swaths of downtown Washington, and visitors are encouraged to instrumentality nationalist transit oregon walk, alternatively than drive.
How to ticker the 250th Anniversary of the U.S. Army Grand Military Parade
- What: Military parade marking the 250th day of the U.S. Army
- Date: Saturday, June 14, 2025
- Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Washington, D.C.
- Online stream: Live connected CBS News 24/7 successful the subordinate supra and connected your mobile oregon streaming device.
Note: Streaming plans are taxable to change
Eleanor Watson contributed to this report.
Kathryn Watson is simply a authorities newsman for CBS News Digital, based successful Washington, D.C.
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