Trump attends controversial $45M military parade in Washington

NEW YORK/ISTANBUL

US President Donald Trump on Saturday attended a large-scale military parade in Washington, D.C., commemorating both his 79th birthday and the 250th anniversary of the founding of the US military—a celebration that drew criticism from various quarters.

The parade, held along Constitution Avenue, was attended by first lady Melania Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and other senior officials.

While the event marked a milestone anniversary for the armed forces, it also stirred public backlash.

Critics questioned the optics and cost of the display—reportedly totaling $45 million—and likened it to military parades in authoritarian regimes, raising concerns about democratic norms and the use of the military for political purposes.

Across the country, millions of Americans used the occasion of Trump’s birthday to protest his administration’s domestic and foreign policies.

Demonstrators in more than 2,000 cities and towns across all 50 states took part in coordinated rallies under the banner “No Kings Day,” symbolically rejecting what they described as growing authoritarianism.

From a specially constructed viewing platform on the south lawn of the White House, Trump watched the parade, standing at times to salute the troops as they passed in chronological order, reflecting the history of the US military.

The parade featured 6,600 service members, 128 tanks and armored vehicles, as well as other military equipment.

Overhead, aircraft and helicopters flew in formation, while the army’s parachute team performed a precision jump, landing in the Washington Monument area.

Following more than two hours of military procession, Trump delivered a brief speech praising the US military, then accepted a ceremonial flag presented in his honor.

The parade concluded with a performance of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” and a fireworks display.