Overview

• On June 14, about 6,700 soldiers, 150 vehicles and 50 aircraft marked the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary in Washington, D.C., an event that coincided with President Trump’s 79th birthday and cost roughly $45 million.
• Late-night hosts and observers ridiculed the parade’s low turnout and disjointed marching, challenging the White House assertion that 250,000 people attended.
• President Trump, according to biographer Michael Wolff, rebuked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for the troops’ “festive” demeanor after expecting a more menacing display.
• More than 2,000 ‘No Kings’ demonstrations in all 50 states attracted an estimated 5 million participants protesting perceived executive overreach.
• Critics highlighted corporate sponsorships from defense contractors as evidence of political favor-trading and decried the event’s politicization of the military.