Saturday's all-American bonanza comes to Florida

Good morning and welcome to Friday the 13th.
Saturday will feature a parade. A rally. Plenty of protests. A birthday party. Really, it will be all of these things, everywhere, all at once.
Let's back up: President DONALD TRUMP is hosting a multimillion-dollar military parade in Washington on Saturday to celebrate the Army's 250th birthday (which also happens to fall on his 79th birthday and Flag Day). Thousands of troops and tanks will roll down Constitution Avenue, and there will be a performance from LEE GREENWOOD, singer of 'God Bless the USA.'
Trump-endorsed gubernatorial candidate BYRON DONALDS will be there, as will Rep. CORY MILLS, report POLITICO's Lisa Kashinsky, Calen Razor and Mia McCarthy.
But plenty of Americans are angry about Trump's policies and the planned parade. So rival events called 'No Kings' have sprouted up, mostly organized by the progressive organization Indivisible and the anti-Trump 50501. Their main assertion is that Trump has pushed to act like a king through stretching the boundaries of the courts, on issues from deportation to civil rights.
And even though the president and his supporters have declared Florida 'Trump Country' and won over a majority of voters here in 2024, at least 78 No Kings protests or rallies are happening in the Sunshine State, from Key West to Pensacola.
'The main theme has been about defending democracy,' said IRENE MARTINEZ of Indivisible Action Group in Miami-Dade. 'We are not a nation under a king. We are a nation where our leaders represent the people they serve. We want to keep those principles and that's what we are celebrating.'
Each Florida event has its own style and focus. Miamians will march toward the Freedom Tower, once a processing center for Cuban refugees, in the form of a conga line. Palm Beach participants will march from West Palm Beach to Mar-a-Lago and have been encouraged to bring non-perishable foods to help area food banks that lost funding under the Trump administration's cuts.
Tallahassee's crowd will meet outside the Old Historic Capitol and collect signatures to get Medicaid expansion on the ballot. Florida Democratic Party Chair NIKKI FRIED will be among the keynote speakers and FRED LEE, the son of the city's first Black police officer, will sing 'America the Beautiful,' said CLAUDIA SPERBER, president of the local Democratic Environmental Caucus. 'We are reclaiming our country,' Sperber said. 'We are reclaiming what it means to be a patriot.'
In Orlando, the group's signs are likely to bring attention to numerous issues, from transgender rights to calls to 'Abolish ICE' and 'Free Palestine,' said COREY HILL, organizer for the city's 50501 chapter.
'People are very angry about what's happening, and want to be in community with other people who share their values, who share their outrage on attacks of people in our communities,' Hill said. 'So I think it's going to be big.'
In Pinellas County, 'what's really resonating is immigration,' said BRANDT ROBINSON, a history teacher who's organizing a demonstration. 'There's real fear on my campus and in our communities.'
The demonstrations will come after a week of protests against ICE raids in Los Angeles. Gov. RON DESANTIS has spent much of the week warning demonstrators in Florida that the state wouldn't tolerate looting or attacks on law enforcement. In one instance, he told podcaster DAVE RUBIN it would be fine if drivers were to 'hit' someone when fleeing after 'a mob comes and surrounds your vehicle and threatens you.' And Brevard County Sheriff WAYNE IVEY warned that if anyone became violent toward law enforcement, then 'we will be notifying your family where to collect your remains.'
Some protesters are on edge given those comments, organizers told Playbook. But CHARMELLE GAMBILL, a core team member for Hope and Action Indivisible, said organizers stressed the need for peaceful protests and want to 'show people what America actually looks like.' Gambill expects about 1,300 protestors in Fort Lauderdale.
Indivisible in St. Johns County will meet at Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, the oldest masonry fort in the U.S., said ROD SHARP, the group's spokesperson. The Lake Mary gathering will meet outside Mills' congressional office and will make a meditation expert available first thing 'for anybody who wants to get centered and helped to be made calm and focused,' said DEANA SCHOTT, one of the organizers. 'The message is no dictatorship,' said her husband, FRED SCHOTT. 'There need to be checks and balances.'
CHAZ STEVENS, the leader of Revolt Training, is heading out to Fort Lauderdale with 11 other protestors to — wait for it — wear inflatable male genitalia costumes paired with masks of Trump's face.
'It's peaceful, it's not violent,' Stevens said. 'We are there smiling and taking pictures and it's the absolute essence of our constitutional rights. Plus we'll have a good time.'
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget that Playbook should look at? Get in touch at: kleonard@politico.com.
... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ...
BUDGET VOTE HOPED FOR MONDAY — 'Florida lawmakers are running out of time to wrap up work on a new budget, but a spokesperson for Senate President Ben Albritton said the 'goal' remains to vote out a new spending plan by Monday,' reports POLITICO's Gary Fineout.
'The problem, however, is that top lawmakers have not yet finished negotiations on several key areas, including spending for environmental programs and higher education. Top negotiators have announced deals on K-12 education and transportation, as well as pay raises for state workers. … To meet [the June 18] deadline, legislators would need to have a finalized budget sometime Friday.'
State Senate budget chief Ed Hooper's (R-Palm Harbor) position: 'We are hopeful that occurs. He says 'yes,' I say 'maybe,'' said Hooper, while gesturing to state Rep. Lawrence McClure (R-Dover), the House budget chief.'
WHAT LAWMAKERS MET ABOUT THURSDAY — 'State legislative budget chiefs swapped a long array of new budget offers late Thursday on everything from the number of new judges to setting aside money for the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States,' reports POLITICO's Gary Fineout.
'As they rush to put together a new budget, the Florida House and Senate also signed off on offers made earlier in the week in key areas such as public school funding and money for school construction projects. … the two sides did make offers to create new judgeships, 2 percent pay raises for the Supreme Court and judges, as well as a House offer to set aside $100 million for a much-debated highway extension in Miami-Dade County called the Kendall Parkway. Perez is from Miami-Dade County.'
What's left to do: 'The House and Senate budget chiefs have yet to make any offers on spending on higher education, environmental programs, and agencies such as the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.'
Meetings today: 'House and Senate budget negotiators may have several meetings on Friday, including one to work out the details of roughly $1.6 billion in tax cuts they want to pass before the session ends next week.'
OIL DRILLING PLAN — 'Critics of a proposed oil drilling operation along the Apalachicola River say they urgently want DeSantis to sign a bill that should block a state permit for the operation,' reports POLITICO's Bruce Ritchie.
'Environmentalists, local elected officials and shellfish farmers are among those backing a bill that passed the Legislature and would ban drilling in four counties along the river. But some opponents say there are loopholes in the bill and timing elements that still could allow a permit to be issued.
'Bill supporters say the governor needs to take action now to help ensure the Department of Environmental Protection doesn't issue a permit to Clearwater Land & Minerals for the Calhoun County drilling site as it proposed last year.'
LEEK'S LATE OBJECTION — Putnam County officials are calling on the Legislature to reject proposed funding for Ocklawaha River restoration after House and Senate budget negotiators last week agreed to spend $15 million in the 2025-26 state budget. State Sen. TOM LEEK (R-Ormond Beach) issued a Thursday statement supporting a Putnam County Commission resolution expressing opposition.
The Senate had proposed spending $6.5 million on a plan for the partial removal of the dam that creates Rodman Reservoir, part of the ill-fated federal Cross Florida Barge Canal project halted by President RICHARD NIXON in 1971. Then-Gov. LAWTON CHILES and the Cabinet in 1992 approved a plan for restoring the river. Opposition from local legislators has been followed by inaction by the state.
Leek said Thursday he supports the county's position that 'no funding be allocated for any restoration efforts on the Ocklawaha River that would involve the removal or disruption of the established ecosystem.' He could not be reached for comment in April when POLITICO first reported the Senate proposal to fund the project.
— Bruce Ritchie
AFTER HOUSE SETTLEMENT — 'State university leaders are proposing an emergency rule that could free up $22.5 million for Florida athletic programs amid new financial demands stemming from the House v. NCAA settlement,' reports POLITICO's Andrew Atterbury.
'The state Board of Governors is considering the measure at a meeting Wednesday, and it would go into effect immediately, putting schools ahead of the anticipated July 1 deadline for a game-changing, revenue-sharing model to take hold in college sports. The idea would allow universities to shift some money generated by auxiliaries like housing and bookstores to athletics, giving schools a new outlet to help them stay competitive.'
DEVELOPMENT COMING FOR THE KEYS — 'The Florida Keys is poised to see a flurry of new development — despite warnings that island chain is already overpopulated with worsening traffic and rising flooding risks — thanks to a new bill set to become law at the end of the month,' reports Alex Harris of the Miami Herald.
— 'Florida AG rolls out new anti-doxxing program for ICE agents,' reports Danielle Prieur of Central Florida Public Media.
— 'Federal trial alleging illegal racial gerrymandering in Tampa Bay Senate seat concludes,' by Mitch Perry of the Florida Phoenix.
PENINSULA AND BEYOND
MIAMI MAYOR FOR LONGER? 'The Miami Herald has learned that, behind the scenes, Mayor Francis Suarez has been lobbying to push the proposal through [to have the city commission move the city's elections to even-numbered years],' reports Tess Riski. 'If the measure passes, Suarez — a former city commissioner who is reaching the end of his term limits as mayor — would get a 17th consecutive year in Miami City Hall.'
TRANSITION TIME
— MATT DAILEY will be the new communications director for Florida Senate Democrats. He joins from the Florida Democratic Party, where his title was deputy communications director.
ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN
LOOK WHAT YOU MADE THEM DO — Spotted at Game 4 of the Stanley Cup in Sunrise: TAYLOR SWIFT and TRAVIS KELCE.
NEW TAT ALERT — In a departure from many buttoned-up, non-tattooed members of Congress, Rep. CORY MILLS (R-Fla.) recently added a dramatic tattoo to his arm showing the Capitol building surrounded by clouds and light and the words 'We the People' in red and black lettering, according to a picture of the tattoo our Daniel Lippman obtained.
Asked why he got the tattoo, he said in a text message: 'As a constitutional republic our nation is founded upon our Christian Judea faith. I believe we are in spiritual warfare and need to lean on faith more now than ever. My upper arm is Archangel Michael fighting the serpent. Our Congress is meant to protect 'We The People' as a nation who fights good vs evil. I feel they both are meaningful and have importance to my beliefs.'
BIRTHDAYS: Former State Sen. David Simmons … Miami Republican committeewoman Angie Wong … (Saturday) President Donald Trump … Foyt Ralston of Foyt Ralston & Associates … (Sunday) state Rep. Traci Koster … Former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine.

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