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Former U.S. Military Officials Fear 'Tiananmen Square Moment' At Trump Parade: Report
Former U.S. Military Officials Fear 'Tiananmen Square Moment' At Trump Parade: Report

Yahoo

time13-06-2025

  • Politics
  • Yahoo

Former U.S. Military Officials Fear 'Tiananmen Square Moment' At Trump Parade: Report

Former U.S. military officials are 'very worried' about the optics of President Donald Trump's upcoming military parade and highly concerned about a potential 'Tiananmen Square moment,' according to New York Times reporters speaking on Friday's edition of 'The Daily' podcast. The parade is meant to celebrate the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary but will coincide with Trump's 79th birthday and expected protests across the country — which retired officials believe could be a dangerous combination. New York Times reporter Michael Barbaro said on Friday that 'showcasing the U.S. military's most fearsome weapons' and soldiers could feel like a threat to the citizens they're meant to protect — rather than to 'our foreign adversaries.' 'Absolutely,' replied Pentagon correspondent Helene Cooper. 'They're very worried about that. And especially in the former uniform world, where these are retired Army officials, retired Marine generals I've been on the phone with, they're really worried about this image.' 'They are also worried about a potential Tiananmen Square moment, where you have a protester standing in front of a tank,' she continued. 'That is not what America is supposed to look like. And this is another one of those potential scary things that we could see on Saturday.' The parade comes at a precarious time: Trump sent 4,000 U.S. National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles this month amid anti-ICE protests while immigration agents continue to snatch suspected undocumented immigrants away for deportation. The government has stated that the troops' purpose is to protect federal property. Trump will have tanks rolling through the streets of the nation's capital, just as China did in Beijing during the 1989 protests calling for reform. The Tiananmen Square massacre that followed is best remembered though the image of an unidentified man standing in front of a line of tanks the next day. The Saturday parade is set to feature nearly 7,000 troops, a multitude of ground vehicles and fighter jet flyovers — a display that could cost as much as $45 million. While Trump has promised a parade 'like no other,' Cooper elaborated on what the imagery of the parade could represent to people. She said Trump voters who see soldiers in Los Angeles as necessary will be able to 'enjoy' the event, while people who've been victimized by the administration 'might see this as another example of a government that's trying to intimidate' them. 'And the biggest problem with this, according to the military leaders in President Trump's first term, is this risks bringing the military into the middle of partisan politics,' Cooper continued. 'You want an American military that all Americans feel is part of them.' 'You do not want a military that is a Trump military or a MAGA military, or a Democratic military or a Biden military,' she said. 'You want a military that American people feel is a nonpolitical institution.' 'Daily Show' Audience Erupts Over Desi Lydic's Trump Parade Realization GOP Senators Freak Out When Asked About Trump's Military Parade Costing $45 Million Trump Says Protesters At Weekend Military Parade Will Face 'Very Heavy Force'

Hong Kong rights group shuts down after years of advocating for workers
Hong Kong rights group shuts down after years of advocating for workers

Washington Post

time13-06-2025

  • Business
  • Washington Post

Hong Kong rights group shuts down after years of advocating for workers

HONG KONG — A Hong Kong group that advocated for workers rights for decades announced its shutdown abruptly on Thursday, citing financial difficulties and debt issues. China Labor Bulletin planned to stop updating its website content and appeared to have deleted Facebook and Instagram social media accounts used by the nonprofit rights organization. 'The company can no longer maintain operations and has decided to dissolve and initiate the relevant procedures,' it said in a statement on an archived web page Friday. Founded in 1994, organization maintained a database tracking workers' strikes, protests, workplace accidents and other labor rights incidents in China . As dozens of civil society groups disbanded or left Hong Kong in the wake of the 2020 Beijing-imposed national security law , China Labor Bulletin continued providing valuable resources for journalists and academics in the southern Chinese city. Critics say the drastic political changes in Hong Kong indicated the decline of Western-style civil liberties that China promised to keep intact when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. However, Beijing and Hong Kong governments insisted the law was crucial to bring stability to the city following massive anti-government protests in 2019. China Labor Bulletin's founder Han Dongfang, a former railway worker who participated in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press. He told the Central News Agency of Taiwan that the shutdown was his decision and he would stay in Hong Kong. Han's decision appeared sudden to many Hong Kong civil society observers. Three weeks ago, he wrote on social media platform LinkedIn about his work anniversary and his team's progress. 'Let's keep our faith up at this abnormal time and continue our important work,' he said.

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