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Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Cringe spectacle': US Army's parade in Trump's $45 Million birthday event mocked
President Donald Trump hosted the largest US military parade in decades on his 79th birthday as protesters rallied across the country to accuse him of acting like a dictator. - 'Happy Birthday' - Trump had openly dreamed since his first term as president of having a grand military parade of the type more often seen in Moscow or Pyongyang. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads US President Donald Trump marked his 79th birthday with a $45 million military parade in Washington, D.C., drawing scorn from social media users, critics, and even U.S. Army personnel for its tone-deaf extravagance amid widespread protests and global event, which also commemorated the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, featured nearly 7,000 troops, 150 military vehicles—including M1A1 Abrams and Sherman tanks—and 50 aircraft, including WWII-era P-51 Mustangs. Trump saluted from a stage outside the White House as the display rolled past under a cloudy Washington the fanfare, the parade was overshadowed by chaos both at home and abroad. Demonstrations erupted in cities like New York, Philadelphia, Houston, and Atlanta, with hundreds of thousands rallying under the banner of "No Kings," criticizing what they saw as Trump's authoritarian leanings. In Los Angeles, police deployed tear gas on protesters. Internationally, tensions escalated as U.S. ally Israel exchanged missile fire with speech—uncharacteristically brief—focused on praising the military. 'They fight, fight, fight, and they win, win, win,' he said, hailing the U.S. as the 'hottest country in the world' and warning adversaries of 'total and complete defeat.'Critics, however, were unimpressed by the spectacle. Political columnist Thomas O. Falk wrote on X (formerly Twitter), 'Every single soldier looks like he'd rather be storming Omaha Beach right now. Trump may have wanted a China- or Russia-style show of strength, but this felt poorly choreographed—and ironically—made the U.S. Army look oddly feeble.'Others mocked the event's tone and visuals. 'This is not AI. This is not edited. This is not a Pride parade. This is not a movie scene. This is a military parade celebrating the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army and Donald Trump,' one user posted.'Either go all in or don't bother. French Bastille Day puts this to shame,' another tweet read. 'Trump proved again he's just a tacky showman.'Some even pointed out the irony of using DJI drones in the procession—despite Trump having banned the Chinese-made tech during his first term. 'Peak U.S. stupidity,' one commenter Trump has long expressed admiration for grand military parades like those seen in Moscow and Pyongyang, many questioned the optics and timing of the event. The last major U.S. military parade took place in 1991 at the end of the Gulf the high cost and elaborate staging, critics say the parade failed to inspire—and instead, reinforced perceptions of an administration obsessed with appearances over substance.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
‘Dozed off at his own birthday party': Donald Trump's ‘facecard' during the US Military Parade sparks meme-fest
'Tis is a big fat celebration for the birthday of the big boy! When the US Army's 250th anniversary coincides with the 79th birthday of the President of the United States of America, and the Commander-in-Chief calls for a celebration worth $45 million (estimated), the least you can do is have a good time! Turns out, even that pursuit fell flat! And the US Prez was caught quite 'bored' in the middle of the high-profile event. What happened? On June 14, the US President Donald Trump presided over a grand military parade in Washington, D.C., commemorating both the US Army's 250th anniversary, which happened to be his 79th birthday. The event featured approximately 7,000 troops, 150 military vehicles—including M1A1 Abrams and Sherman tanks—and 50 aircraft, including WWII-era P-51 Mustangs. The parade began at the Pentagon and concluded at the National Mall, covering a route secured by an 18-mile perimeter and extensive drone surveillance. The celebration was part of the United States Semiquincentennial, marking 250 years since the nation's founding. However, judging by Trump's face, it was less of a celebration for him, as one internet user pointed out, 'It's your birthday. It's Saturday night. But you made one critical mistake: You threw a $45 million parade for yourself without realizing you'd be bored out of your mind.' Trump facecard gone wrong! Although the parade was supposedly a realization of Trump's long-held desire for a military display, inspired by his experience at France's Bastille Day celebrations in 2017, the event faced criticism due to its estimated cost of $25–$45 million, especially amid ongoing government cost-cutting measures. Moreover, critics viewed the parade as a display of authoritarianism, with some Republican voices also expressing concern. The absence of bipartisan political leaders at the event further fueled perceptions of a personalized spectacle. However, nothing matched the intense meme-fest Trump's facecard sparked – all over social media! Looking visibly 'bored', and 'irritated' to a great extent, the US Prez was seen quite miffed. Not just that, some even claimed that Trump probably dozed off during the ongoing military parade! The online frenzy! As Trump's 'bored' facecard went viral on social media, one internet user asked Grok, a generative artificial intelligence chatbot developed by xAI, 'why Trump looks grossed out on the picture,' to which Grok replied, 'It's unclear exactly why Trump appeared "grossed out" in the photo from the Army's 250th anniversary parade on June 14, 2025.' However, Grok made a list of 'possible factors' of Trump being grossed-out that included: '1. Nationwide "No Kings" protests against his policies, though none were in D.C. 2. Light rain during the event, which might have caused discomfort. 3. A personal reaction to something specific, like a comment or minor incident, though no such event was reported.' Some internet users even started crying from lauging too hard, and commented, 'Holy shit this is so funny! Spend the past week hyping up this military parade and telling people to not worry about the No King rallies while the rallies in buttfuck nowhere Alabama probably had more people at it then the parade.' While some netizens deemed this to be their 'favorite picture of Trump ever,' another bunch called it, 'I think that is his it's going in the diaper face!' One internet user even pointed out the utter confusion of the guy sitting right behind him, 'guy on the right is trying to figure out where that dirty diaper smell is coming from!' Trump Hypes Up 'Grand' Military Parade On His Birthday In White House Speech
Scottish Sun
6 days ago
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Trump parade LIVE: Crowds begin to gather in Washington DC for Donald Trump's historic US Army birthday parade
TODAY'S THE DAY Trump parade LIVE: Crowds begin to gather in Washington DC for Donald Trump's historic US Army birthday parade Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DONALD Trump is set to kick off a massive military parade in Washington today to celebrate the US Army's 250th anniversary - on his birthday. Crowds have started to gather for the historic military parade, which will see thousands of troops flanked by battle tanks and World War two planes march on the streets. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 People walk with the Washington Monument on the background on the day of a military parade Credit: Reuters 4 People wear hats dedicated to the US Army's 250th anniversary on the day of the parade Credit: Reuters 4 A person wears a hat with US flags on the day of the military parade Credit: Reuters 4 A supporter of President Donald Trump wears a hat with US flags on the day of the military parade Credit: Reuters Patriotic tunes will fill the air in Washington DC as the commander in chief turns 79 - with the grand military spectacle set to commemorate the US Army's 250th anniversary. The grandiose military parade will showcase soldiers, sailors, airmen and US Marines marching in their uniforms in front of thousands of spectators. As many as 7,000 troops and seven band contingents have reportedly been called to participate in the show. They will be accompanied by at least 150 military vehicles and some 50 aircraft. Some 2,000 civilians could also take march alongside the US military. The Army expects as many as 200,000 people could attend the festival and parade. For years, the president is said to have had his eyes on a full-blown military show, but has failed to put up a working plan - until now. Plans are to roll down battle tanks, massive military equipment, and aircraft and missiles, just as Trump first envisioned the parade during his first term. Among the military equipment set to be flaunted are M1A1 Abrams tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, World War II Sherman tanks and four WWII-era P-51 aircraft. The whole celebration will be enclosed with an 18-mile ring of steel to protect the parade. Drones and a small army of cops will be on hand to keep order - with there expected to be protests across the country as part of "No Kings" day, a series of anti-Trump rallies by people objecting to the parade. It comes after a week of unrest in many cities - with anti-immigration raid riots in LA and protests against ICE across the US. Stay up to date with the latest on the parade with The Sun's live blog below...
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Trump parade LIVE: Crowds begin to gather in Washington DC for Donald Trump's historic US Army birthday parade
DONALD Trump is set to kick off a massive military parade in Washington today to celebrate the US Army's 250th anniversary - on his birthday. Crowds have started to gather for the historic military parade, which will see thousands of troops flanked by battle tanks and World War two planes march on the streets. 4 People walk with the Washington Monument on the background on the day of a military parade Credit: Reuters 4 People wear hats dedicated to the US Army's 250th anniversary on the day of the parade Credit: Reuters 4 A person wears a hat with US flags on the day of the military parade Credit: Reuters 4 A supporter of President Donald Trump wears a hat with US flags on the day of the military parade Credit: Reuters Patriotic tunes will fill the air in Washington DC as the commander in chief turns 79 - with the The grandiose military parade will showcase As many as 7,000 troops and seven band contingents have reportedly been called to participate in the show. They will be accompanied by at least 150 military vehicles and some 50 aircraft. Some 2,000 civilians could also take march alongside the US military. The Army expects as many as 200,000 people could attend the festival and parade. For years, the president is said to have had his eyes on a full-blown military show, but has failed to put up a working plan - until now. Plans are to roll down battle tanks, massive military equipment, and aircraft and missiles, just as Trump first envisioned the parade during his first term. Most read in The US Sun Among the military equipment set to be flaunted are M1A1 Abrams tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, World War II Sherman tanks and four WWII-era P-51 aircraft. The whole celebration will be enclosed with an 18-mile ring of steel to protect the parade. Drones and a small army of cops will be on hand to keep order - with there expected to be protests across the country as part of "No Kings" day, a series of anti-Trump rallies by people objecting to the parade. It comes after a week of unrest in many cities - with Stay up to date with the latest on the parade with The Sun's live blog below...
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
The Shame of Trump's Parade
The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here. Today—250 years since the Continental Army officially formed to fight for the independence of the American colonies against the British monarchy—marks a milestone in President Donald Trump's effort to politicize the U.S. military. Though they are rare, military parades have happened before in Washington, D.C. For the most part, these have been celebrations of military achievements, such as the end of a war. But today is also Trump's birthday, and what he and his supporters have planned is a celebration of Trump himself. A mark of a free society is that its public institutions, especially its military, represent the body politic and the freedom-enabling equal rights that structure civic life. If service members and the public begin to believe that the military is not neutral but is in fact the servant of MAGA, this will threaten the military's legitimacy and increase the likelihood of violent conflict between the military and the public. Today's events bring us one step closer to this disaster. [Read: Trump's un-American parade] I have seen the politicization of the military firsthand. Last month, I resigned my tenured position as a philosophy professor at West Point in protest of the dramatic changes the Trump administration is making to academic programs at military-service academies. Following an executive order from January, the Department of Defense banned most discussions of race and gender in the classroom. West Point applied this standard to faculty scholarship as well. As a result, my research agenda—I study the relationship between masculinity and war, among other things—was effectively off limits. I consider what the Trump administration is doing to the military-service academies as a profound violation of the military's political neutrality. That destructive ethos is the same one apparent in the parade scheduled for today. Before Trump was reelected, the Army had planned significant celebrations across the country to mark this day, including the release of a commemorative postage stamp and a visit to the International Space Station by an Army astronaut. But according to The New York Times, arrangements for today's D.C. event, unlike the other plans, began only this year. The day is scheduled to begin with a variety of family-friendly concerts, a meet and greet with NFL players, and military-fitness competitions, all on the National Mall. If all goes to plan, the celebrations will culminate with what organizers are calling a 'grand military parade' that starts near the Pentagon, crosses the Potomac River, and ends near the White House. The parade is anticipated to involve 6,700 active-duty soldiers and a massive display of Army equipment: dozens of M1A1 Abrams tanks and Stryker armored personnel carriers, along with more than 100 other land vehicles, 50 helicopters, and a B-25 bomber. Trump is scheduled to give remarks after the parade and receive a flag delivered from the air by the U.S. Army Parachute Team known as the Golden Knights. A fireworks show is set to follow later tonight. The organizers have made it abundantly clear that today's purpose is to directly laud Trump and his politics. In promotional materials, they tell us, 'Under President Trump's leadership, the Army has been restored to strength and readiness.' They credit his 'America First agenda' for military pay increases, enlarged weapons stockpiles, new technologies, and improvements in recruitment, declaring that he has 'ensured our soldiers have the tools and support they need to win on any battlefield.' Monica Crowley, the State Department's chief of protocol and a former Fox News host, went on Steve Bannon's podcast WarRoom to say that the concurrence of the U.S. Army's anniversary and Trump's birthday is 'providential.' She called it 'meant to be. Hand of God, for sure.' She added, 'It is really a gift, and we want to be sure that we celebrate in a manner that is fitting, not just of this extraordinary president but of our extraordinary country.' She also expressed hope that the crowd would serenade the president with 'Happy Birthday.' Clearly, Trump isn't merely the guest of honor; he is the reason for the party. During his first administration, members of Trump's own Cabinet often thwarted his efforts to corrupt the Pentagon. This time, Trump has appointed a secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, who is willing to tear down the boundaries separating politics and the management of national defense. Trump and Hegseth claim to be purging the military of politicization instilled by previous administrations and resetting the DOD around the nonpartisan matter of readiness for war. But in reality, they have used this rationale as a cover to insert an unprecedented level of political partisanship into the military. Other events in recent months have pointed in this same direction. For instance, in February, the administration fired the top lawyers for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The only meaningful justification given for the move was Hegseth's claim that the fired lawyers might be roadblocks to the president's agenda—a frightening admission. In January, the administration banned transgender people from serving in the military, not because they allegedly pose a threat to unit cohesion or because their medical treatment is unusually expensive, but because they are supposedly bad people ('not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of a service member'). At present, transgender soldiers who have met all performance standards are being discharged simply because of the administration's bigotry against them. [Read: A parade of ignorance] The administration has also inserted its politics into all the military-service academies—the reason I left West Point last month. Trump and Hegseth have denied the validity of ideas that are taken seriously in a variety of disciplines and banned them from the classroom, including, as I noted above, matters pertaining to race and gender. Books and other works, most of which are by women and people of color, have been removed from the curriculum. The academic programs of the service academies are now structured around the Trump administration's ideological worldview. Faculty and cadets wonder if they are allowed to entertain perspectives inconsistent with the administration's politics. In May, Hegseth led an evangelical prayer service in the Pentagon's auditorium. Standing at a lectern with the Department of Defense seal, Hegseth led the audience in prayer to 'our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ.' The main speaker at this service was Hegseth's pastor, Brooks Potteiger, of the Pilgrim Hill Reformed Fellowship, in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. This church restricts all leadership positions to men, declares homosexuality immoral, and asserts that women should not serve in combat. Of course, there is nothing wrong with a secretary of defense acknowledging his religious faith. What's objectionable is the use of his authority to push his personal religious views on subordinates, especially as the director of a major institution of the secular state. The president now routinely speaks to uniformed service members in his red MAGA hat, using his trademark rhetoric centering himself and belittling, even demonizing, his critics. He openly suggests a special alliance between him and the military. At Fort Bragg on Tuesday, for instance, Trump encouraged uniformed soldiers to cheer his political agenda and boo his enemies. This is all extremely dangerous. Keeping the military a politically neutral servant of the constitutional order, not of the president or his political ideology, is vital to ensuring the security of civil society. Up until a week ago, the blurring of the boundaries between the administration's ideology and the military had not yet manifested as an attempt to employ the military directly on Trump's—or the Republican Party's—behalf. The steps taken until that point had been mostly symbolic. (The one possible exception was the deployment of the military at the southern border in what is essentially a law-enforcement matter.) But these symbolic expressions of military politicization have paved the way for that endgame—presidential orders that deploy the military for directly partisan ends. In just the past week, the Trump administration responded to protests against the enforcement of his immigration policies with military deployments. The likelihood that the administration will try to use the military against its political opponents is now very high. If that comes to pass, we will then learn just how successful Trump's efforts to politicize the military have been. Illustration Sources: RoyalFive / Getty; Tasos Katopodis / Getty; WoodysPhotos / Getty; gerenme / Getty; JohnnyPowell / Getty; Win McNamee / Getty. Article originally published at The Atlantic
