On June 14, 2025, Washington, D.C., transformed into the stage for a highly anticipated—yet deeply divisive—military parade. Ostensibly commemorating the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary and coinciding with Donald Trump’s 79th birthday and Flag Day, the event featured a grand spectacle: 6,600–7,000 troops, six to twenty-five Abrams tanks, vintage WWII Sherman tanks, nearly 50 aircraft, and parachuting troops delivering the national flag. The pageantry kicked off at 6:30 p.m. ET with a march down Constitution Avenue. Throughout the day, a fitness contest and festival took place on the National Mall, culminating in an enlistment ceremony for 250 new soldiers—where Trump administered oaths and received a flag from Golden Knights parachutists. A Thunderbirds flyover, added at Trump’s request, rounded out the evening alongside fireworks at the Tidal Basin.

Yet the event’s grandeur came with a hefty price: estimates range from $25 million to $45 million, potentially rising if security and reinforcements are included. Many of the city’s roads were closed for preparation, heavy metal plates laid for tank passage, and nearby Reagan National flights temporarily halted. Criticism was fast and fierce. About 60% of Americans disapproved of the expenditure. Critics—including Democratic lawmakers Tammy Duckworth, Eleanor Holmes Norton, and Senator Richard Blumenthal—denounced it as “ego‑stroking,” “wasteful,” and reminiscent of authoritarian military displays.

Sen. Rand Paul and others warned that this kind of parade echoed imagery typical of Soviet, North Korean, or Chinese regimes—an optics misstep for America’s democratic tradition. Veterans’ groups also split: some embraced the celebration of service, while others declined participation in protest, refusing to become a backdrop for Trump’s birthday. Security was intensive. An 18-mile reinforced perimeter, police, drones, and road closures ushered in up to 200,000 attendees—though “No Kings” counterprotests were staged in hundreds of U.S. cities. In D.C., protesters remained outside the central perimeter while lawmakers voiced frustration at Trump’s warning of “very big force” against demonstrators.

Trump defended the display as a straightforward tribute to American strength and unity: “It’s time for us to celebrate ... we’ve had a lot of victories,” he said. He emphasized that this was not a birthday show—despite the coinciding dates—and framed it as a patriotic gesture meant to uplift national spirit. But with the nation divided—approval hovering around 40%, disapproval at 60% the event has underscored deeper tensions over civil–military norms, government spending, and the boundaries of American democracy.