President Donald Trump’s extravagant up to $45 million birthday and military parade through Washington, D.C., drew outrage across the country and prompted massive counter protests under the banner “No Kings Day.”
While it was billed to celebrate 250 years of the military, the president’s show of force was widely viewed as self-congratulatory and authoritarian, sparking demonstrations in dozens of cities from Los Angeles and Atlanta to Chicago, Philadelphia and New York.
Despite the thick, humid air, people lined the streets, some cheering and shouting chants of “USA” as helicopters flew by, while others protested the Trump administration and stood for equity and justice for all — each standing for a different vision of America.
“The Army keeps us free; you make us strong, and tonight you have made all Americans very proud. With the creation of America’s Army on June 14, 1775, liberty got its shield and freedom got its sword,” the president said during the parade, before issuing what some have called a chilling warning. “America’s enemies have learned that if you threaten the American people, our soldiers are coming for you. Your defeat will be certain, your demise will be final, and your downfall will be total and complete.”
While many counter protestors noted they celebrate the work of those in the military, they questioned the president’s intentions for the parade.
“I have nothing against the military… but do I think this parade was about that? No,” said a retired law enforcement officer from Minnesota who attended the No Kings Day counter protest. “We all know who Donald Trump is — it’s ego, its division, it’s about getting more people behind him. He’s disparaged the military over and over again.”
No Kings Day Works to Combat Authoritarian Threat
As military tanks were on full display in the nation’s capital, tens of thousands of protesters filled the streets in the District and nationwide, many carrying signs declaring “No Kings in America” and photos of former President Barack Obama — a deliberate contrast to Trump’s spectacle.
In Atlanta, a 5,000-capacity rally at the state Capitol quickly overflowed as thousands more gathered outside the barriers. Demonstrators across the country accused Trump of attempting to install himself as a de facto monarch, dismissing constitutional norms and democratic principles.
The protest momentum was amplified by resurfaced video and audio recordings that critics say further reveal Trump’s authoritarian ambitions.
In one hot mic moment inside the Oval Office, Trump is heard telling El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, “The homegrown criminals are next. Yeah. I said homegrowns are next — the homegrowns. You’ve got to build about five more places. Yeah, that’s fair. Alright? Yeah. It’s not big enough. No, yeah. Come on.”
The exchange raised the alarm over whether Trump was seriously proposing sending U.S. citizens abroad for detention, an idea legal experts say would directly violate the Constitution.
The remarks follow a pattern of Trump admiring autocratic leaders. In an earlier on-camera exchange, Trump gushed about North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un: “Could happen, yeah I would have him, yeah, I think it’s something that could happen. Hey, he’s the head of a country, and I mean, he’s the strong head. Don’t let anyone think anything different. He speaks, and his people sit up at attention. I want my people to do the same.”
Those words, now resurfacing as tensions escalate and threats to democratic institutions rise, reveal how close America is to its first dictatorship.
“It is absolutely well-known that these dictators and autocrats are rooting for you to be president again because they’re so clear they can manipulate you with flattery and favors,” former Vice President Kamala Harris warned during the September 2024 presidential debate.
Varying Views Fill District Streets
The military parade featured performances by various artists as well as speeches from the president and Vice President J.D. Vance.
“And so to our soldiers, we’re so proud of you, and let me tell you that the way that we honor and respect you is, number one, we never ask you to go to war unless you absolutely have to,” said Vance. “And number two, when we do ask you to go to war, we give you the weapons and the support needed to kick the hell out of the enemy and come back home safely.”
A parade supporter who asked to use the name Kate the Great celebrated the events of the day, noting the great sacrifices made by those in the military.
“We have a cool country, with a lot of people that have died to make our freedom, to keep us free, and to let us do exactly what we’re doing today — enjoy our country,” she said. “I’m very blessed.”
The No Kings Parade, organized by various advocacy groups and held nationwide, was a means of Americans speaking out against the Trump administration and its policies.
A person attending the No Kings Day protest with a “Stop ICE” sign, who preferred not to be identified by name, noted that “fear” is the message the Trump administration is sending to Americans and people throughout the world.
“But that’s not what real American power is,” the protester told The Informer.“The true power is its people – not the military. America is about people like us.”
The retiree from Minnesota attended the protest to speak up for the rights of his son and all trans people, who have been affected by the Trump administration’s gender mandates — which “recognize women are biologically female, and men are biologically male.”
“My son is trans, and the hatred that’s being expressed is just gross. Yet they claim they want a free country — oh no, they don’t. They want a country the way they want it,” the proud parent said.
While the retired officer celebrated veterans’ contributions, he said the tax dollars spent at the parade could have helped countless Americans who are facing challenges.
“I’m glad veterans can come out and celebrate what they’ve done, but the money spent on this could’ve helped veterans in need — or that woman, that man, or even my son,” the father continued. “There are much better ways to spend it.”
Source: Published without changes from Washington Informer Newspaper
