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Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Veterans Speak Out Against Trump's Military Parade
Veteran Rebecca Roberts speaks outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., during a protest by veterans on June 13, 2025, over Trump's military parade. Credit - Leigh Vogel—Getty Image Thousands of troops will march through Washington, D.C. as a part of President Donald Trump's national military parade on Saturday to honor the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army. The day also coincides with the President's 79th birthday. But the parade arguably couldn't come at a more precarious time. The Trump Administration is engaged in a legal battle with California, after deploying National Guard troops to Los Angeles without the request or approval of Gov. Gavin Newsom. There is also grave concern about what's happening overseas, as Israel and Iran trade deadly missiles after Israel launched a military operation targeting Iran's nuclear facilities and personnel. Amid all this, protests are expected throughout the country as organizations and individuals take part in 'No Kings Day' demonstrations. While the protests have long been arranged, they've been largely spurned on by Trump's actions regarding the L.A. protests, which have since spread to other cities across the U.S. The protests are 'taking action to reject authoritarianism—and show the world what democracy really looks like,' per the 'No Kings' website, which also states 'in America, we don't do kings.' Dissent against the parade is also coming partly from within one of Trump's most reliable support bases: veterans. Although former U.S. military personnel have historically voted with wide margins in favor of Trump and the Republican Party, there is a growing discontent among some within the community. Read More: Veterans Condemn Trump's 'Misuse of Military Power' Amid L.A. Protests On Friday, a group of roughly 60 veterans and military family members protesting both the deployment of the National Guard in L.A. and Saturday's military parade were arrested by the Capitol Police, after they breached a police line of bike racks. 'President Trump threatened Americans coming to exercise their first amendment rights would be met with 'great force,'' said Michael T. McPhearson, veteran and director of Veterans for Peace, an organizer of the protest. 'We are the actual people who put uniforms on because we believe in the freedoms this country is supposed to be about and we will not be intimidated into silence.' McPhearson's words echo the sentiments of others, including Chris Purdy, a U.S. Army National Guard veteran who served from 2004 to 2012 and was deployed to Iraq in 2011. Purdy maintains values of military might and respect set to be displayed in the parade exist in 'stark contrast' to how Trump is treating both veterans and also 'our neighbors and our allies that have helped build the peace.' '[Veteran Affairs] announced an end to the VASP [Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase] program. This is a program that kept around 13,000 veterans in their homes last year, and there are 90,000 vets who are at financial risk through their [VA] loans that would have benefited from this program,' says Purdy, highlighting the reported $45 million cost of the parade. 'I'm seeing a lot of attacks on the apolitical nature of the military, on the veteran community itself. And then, to kind of wrap it all up in this parade, it feels gross.' Purdy recounts a lesson from a sergeant in the Army, who told him that 'respect is built by coalitions, by relationships.' Purdy points to a defining factor of Trump's first months of Presidency, which has included contentious relationships with multiple U.S. allies, including Canada. 'I think about my time in Iraq and the coalition partners that I served alongside—the British, Polish, and Lithuanian soldiers—we built these coalitions to help us accomplish the mission,' Purdy says. 'We [veterans] believe that America can lead the world without being oppressive. So this kind of ostentatious display of American might feels unnecessary. It feels like the bully on the playground that needs to kind of go around and flex his muscles to prove like he's the biggest kid on the block.' And Purdy is not alone in his concerns. A survey conducted by Data for Progress and Common Defense, conducted in April, found that around 70% of the veterans approached said they are opposed to the Trump Administration 'ordering active-duty U.S. military troops to perform a parade in honor of President Trump's birthday.' Janessa Goldbeck agrees with Purdy's assessment, pointing to both the VASP cut, as well as Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill,' which proposes cuts to Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), that Goldbeck says many military and veteran households 'rely on.' 'And then you pair that with this complete endangerment and misuse of the National Guard and the active-duty military. Clearly, there's no regard for veterans or people in uniform from this Administration,' Goldbeck claims. 'All of this is an attempt to reshape the United States military as a tool of domestic power for the sitting President… it is certainly not in line with the principles enshrined in the Constitution that I swore to uphold and defend.' But not all veterans are in agreement that the parade is a 'gross' display of strength. Read More: What To Know About Trump's Military Parade Many veterans have traveled to Washington, D.C. for the festivities to celebrate the active-duty military members who are choosing to serve their country. 'It's good for Americans to see what their tax dollars are paying for and what the troops who are protecting them are using,' said veteran John Norton, who was on the bomb squad in the Army and served in Athens, Greece, and Vicenza, Italy. Norton was referencing the Army tanks and aircraft that will be displayed during the parade, during an interview with ABC News. Veteran Ana Salazar is attending the parade to 'thank' the active-duty military members for their service. 'Proud to be a fellow brother and sister-in-arms with my fellow veterans and active-duty service members,' she said. Salazar served in the military from 2003 to 2014, and was stationed in Belgium, Kansas, Missouri, and Hawaii, and did tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Still, Libby Jamison, military spouse and former President of the Military Spouse J.D. Network, says veterans she knows may agree with different aspects of Trump's policies, but those 'across the political spectrum' in her community are 'concerned about this level of spending on this type of pageantry.' Currently, Jamison is working on bringing down the 20% unemployment rate among active-duty spouses, and says the messaging of the parade as a celebration feels in conflict with the conditions she sees many veterans and military personnel existing in. 'I think if you ask [those] families what they need at this moment, it wouldn't be a parade. It would be, 'I need a job' or 'I need child care,'' Jamison argues. 'Who is this parade really for? Because it doesn't feel like it's for service members or families.' Contact us at letters@
Time Magazine
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Time Magazine
Veterans Speak Out Against Trump's Military Parade: ‘It Feels Gross'
Thousands of troops will march through Washington, D.C. as a part of President Donald Trump's national military parade on Saturday to honor the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army. The day also coincides with the President's 79th birthday. But the parade arguably couldn't come at a more precarious time. The Trump Administration is engaged in a legal battle with California, after deploying National Guard troops to Los Angeles without the request or approval of Gov. Gavin Newsom. There is also grave concern about what's happening overseas, as Israel and Iran trade deadly missiles after Israel launched a military operation targeting Iran's nuclear facilities and personnel. Amid all this, protests are expected throughout the country as organizations and individuals take part in 'No Kings Day' demonstrations. While the protests have long been arranged, they've been largely spurned on by Trump's actions regarding the L.A. protests, which have since spread to other cities across the U.S. The protests are 'taking action to reject authoritarianism—and show the world what democracy really looks like,' per the 'No Kings' website, which also states 'in America, we don't do kings.' Dissent against the parade is also coming partly from within one of Trump's most reliable support bases: veterans. Although former U.S. military personnel have historically voted with wide margins in favor of Trump and the Republican Party, there is a growing discontent among some within the community. On Friday, a group of roughly 60 veterans and military family members protesting both the deployment of the National Guard in L.A. and Saturday's military parade were arrested by the Capitol Police, after they breached a police line of bike racks. 'President Trump threatened Americans coming to exercise their first amendment rights would be met with ' great force,'' said Michael T. McPhearson, veteran and director of Veterans for Peace, an organizer of the protest. 'We are the actual people who put uniforms on because we believe in the freedoms this country is supposed to be about and we will not be intimidated into silence.' McPhearson's words echo the sentiments of others, including Chris Purdy, a U.S. Army National Guard veteran who served from 2004 to 2012 and was deployed to Iraq in 2011. Purdy maintains values of military might and respect set to be displayed in the parade exist in 'stark contrast' to how Trump is treating both veterans and also 'our neighbors and our allies that have helped build the peace.' '[Veteran Affairs] announced an end to the VASP [Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase] program. This is a program that kept around 13,000 veterans in their homes last year, and there are 90,000 vets who are at financial risk through their [VA] loans that would have benefited from this program,' says Purdy, highlighting the reported $45 million cost of the parade. 'I'm seeing a lot of attacks on the apolitical nature of the military, on the veteran community itself. And then, to kind of wrap it all up in this parade, it feels gross.' Purdy recounts a lesson from a sergeant in the Army, who told him that 'respect is built by coalitions, by relationships.' Purdy points to a defining factor of Trump's first months of Presidency, which has included contentious relationships with multiple U.S. allies, including Canada. 'I think about my time in Iraq and the coalition partners that I served alongside—the British, Polish, and Lithuanian soldiers—we built these coalitions to help us accomplish the mission,' Purdy says. 'We [veterans] believe that America can lead the world without being oppressive. So this kind of ostentatious display of American might feels unnecessary. It feels like the bully on the playground that needs to kind of go around and flex his muscles to prove like he's the biggest kid on the block.' And Purdy is not alone in his concerns. A survey conducted by Data for Progress and Common Defense, conducted in April, found that around 70% of the veterans approached said they are opposed to the Trump Administration 'ordering active-duty U.S. military troops to perform a parade in honor of President Trump's birthday.' Janessa Goldbeck agrees with Purdy's assessment, pointing to both the VASP cut, as well as Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill,' which proposes cuts to Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), that Goldbeck says many military and veteran households 'rely on.' 'And then you pair that with this complete endangerment and misuse of the National Guard and the active-duty military. Clearly, there's no regard for veterans or people in uniform from this Administration,' Goldbeck claims. 'All of this is an attempt to reshape the United States military as a tool of domestic power for the sitting President… it is certainly not in line with the principles enshrined in the Constitution that I swore to uphold and defend.' But not all veterans are in agreement that the parade is a 'gross' display of strength. Many veterans have traveled to Washington, D.C. for the festivities to celebrate the active-duty military members who are choosing to serve their country. 'It's good for Americans to see what their tax dollars are paying for and what the troops who are protecting them are using,' said veteran John Norton, who was on the bomb squad in the Army and served in Athens, Greece, and Vicenza, Italy. Norton was referencing the Army tanks and aircraft that will be displayed during the parade, during an interview with ABC News. Veteran Ana Salazar is attending the parade to 'thank' the active-duty military members for their service. 'Proud to be a fellow brother and sister-in-arms with my fellow veterans and active-duty service members,' she said. Salazar served in the military from 2003 to 2014, and was stationed in Belgium, Kansas, Missouri, and Hawaii, and did tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Still, Libby Jamison, military spouse and former President of the Military Spouse J.D. Network, says veterans she knows may agree with different aspects of Trump's policies, but those 'across the political spectrum' in her community are 'concerned about this level of spending on this type of pageantry.' Currently, Jamison is working on bringing down the 20% unemployment rate among active-duty spouses, and says the messaging of the parade as a celebration feels in conflict with the conditions she sees many veterans and military personnel existing in. 'I think if you ask [those] families what they need at this moment, it wouldn't be a parade. It would be, 'I need a job' or 'I need child care,'' Jamison argues. 'Who is this parade really for? Because it doesn't feel like it's for service members or families.'
Economic Times
11-06-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Mudrex unveils upgraded Alpha Program with India's lowest trading fees
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel Mudrex, a global crypto investment platform, has announced the launch of an upgraded version of its flagship loyalty initiative, the Mudrex Alpha Program . The enhanced six-tier system introduces some of the lowest trading fees in India—dropping to as low as 0.03% for Futures and 0.12% for Spot from 6th June, the revamped Alpha program is open to all Spot and Futures traders on the platform. Benefits are determined based on a user's 30-day trading volume, with eligibility tied to the higher activity between Spot and Futures markets. Depending on the tier, users can access reduced trading fees, zero-fee INR withdrawals (previously 1%), priority customer support, advanced research insights, and exclusive entry to events and educational new tiered framework introduces a more structured loyalty system aligned with user trading behaviour. Support response times have also been optimised—ranging from a 12-hour turnaround for entry-level users to one-hour resolutions and dedicated relationship managers for top-tier on the launch, Edul Patel, Co-founder and CEO of Mudrex, said, "Over the years, we've spoken to thousands of users and identified the key challenges they face—high fees, inadequate support, and lack of trust. The upgraded Alpha Program addresses these issues directly. With the lowest fees in the country, faster support, and a transparent loyalty system, we aim to make crypto investing more accessible, secure, and rewarding for all."The upgraded Alpha Program reinforces Mudrex's position in India's growing crypto landscape, arriving at a time when investors are actively diversifying their portfolios in response to global macroeconomic trends and rising interest in digital in 2018, Mudrex aims to democratise crypto investing by enabling everyday investors to participate in digital asset wealth creation. The platform is registered as a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) in India and Europe and holds OAM registration in Italy. Headquartered in the U.S. with offices in Bengaluru, Mudrex is building toward becoming the world's leading crypto asset management platform.(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of the Economic Times)
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Mudrex unveils upgraded Alpha Program with India's lowest trading fees
Mudrex, a global crypto investment platform, has announced the launch of an upgraded version of its flagship loyalty initiative, the Mudrex Alpha Program . The enhanced six-tier system introduces some of the lowest trading fees in India—dropping to as low as 0.03% for Futures and 0.12% for Spot trades. Effective from 6th June, the revamped Alpha program is open to all Spot and Futures traders on the platform. Benefits are determined based on a user's 30-day trading volume, with eligibility tied to the higher activity between Spot and Futures markets. Depending on the tier, users can access reduced trading fees, zero-fee INR withdrawals (previously 1%), priority customer support, advanced research insights, and exclusive entry to events and educational content. The new tiered framework introduces a more structured loyalty system aligned with user trading behaviour. Support response times have also been optimised—ranging from a 12-hour turnaround for entry-level users to one-hour resolutions and dedicated relationship managers for top-tier members. Crypto Tracker TOP COIN SETS DeFi Tracker 14.52% Buy Smart Contract Tracker 5.94% Buy Web3 Tracker 5.86% Buy NFT & Metaverse Tracker 5.61% Buy BTC 50 :: ETH 50 5.35% Buy TOP COINS (₹) Solana 14,082 ( 4.13% ) Buy Ethereum 236,611 ( 2.84% ) Buy XRP 199 ( 1.75% ) Buy BNB 57,165 ( 1.21% ) Buy Bitcoin 9,344,059 ( -0.15% ) Buy Commenting on the launch, Edul Patel, Co-founder and CEO of Mudrex, said, "Over the years, we've spoken to thousands of users and identified the key challenges they face—high fees, inadequate support, and lack of trust. The upgraded Alpha Program addresses these issues directly. With the lowest fees in the country, faster support, and a transparent loyalty system, we aim to make crypto investing more accessible, secure, and rewarding for all." Did you Know? The world of cryptocurrencies is very dynamic. Prices can go up or down in a matter of seconds. Thus, having reliable answers to such questions is crucial for investors. View Details » The upgraded Alpha Program reinforces Mudrex's position in India's growing crypto landscape, arriving at a time when investors are actively diversifying their portfolios in response to global macroeconomic trends and rising interest in digital assets. Founded in 2018, Mudrex aims to democratise crypto investing by enabling everyday investors to participate in digital asset wealth creation. The platform is registered as a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) in India and Europe and holds OAM registration in Italy. Headquartered in the U.S. with offices in Bengaluru, Mudrex is building toward becoming the world's leading crypto asset management platform. ETMarkets WhatsApp channel )
Arabian Business
04-06-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
Dubai virtual asset watchdog VARA grants licence to tokenisation platform Ctrl Alt
Ctrl Alt, a tokenisation infrastructure platform, as of today, has secured its licence from Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) to function as a Virtual Assets Service Provider (VASP). Ctrl Alt is the first VASP allowed to conduct issuer-related services, marking a significant step in Ctrl Alt's global expansion and underlines its dedication to wielding robust regulatory frameworks. Ctrl Alt was given a VARA licence that permits the company to administer licensed activities that include Broker-Dealer services and Issuer services. VARA approves Ctrl Alt VARA has granted a licence that permits Issuer services for the first time, a monumental achievement for Ctrl Alt. This license allows Ctrl Alt to conduct a full-stack, regulatory-compliant platform for the design, control and distribution of tokenised real-world assets and ARVA tokens. The latest example of this is Ctrl Alt's partnership with the Dubai Land Department (DLD) on their Real Estate Tokenisation Project, where Ctrl Alt formed the structure to mint and place real estate tokens on-chain. Dubai has established itself as a global leader in innovation and digital assets, particularly in the field of tokenisation. Backed by progressive regulatory frameworks and a forward-thinking strategic vision, the emirate has solidified its reputation as a hub for digital and financial innovation. Since its launch in 2022, the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) has played a crucial role in driving the growth of Dubai's digital economy. This supportive environment was a major factor in Ctrl Alt's decision to set up operations in the region in 2024. 'We are proud to receive our VARA licence and establish fully regulated operations in the UAE. This achievement reflects our commitment to long-term regulatory alignment as we power the infrastructure for the next generation of financial products,' Matt Ong, Founder and CEO at Ctrl Alt said in a statement. 'Securing our VARA licence marks a pivotal moment not just for Ctrl Alt, but for the broader digital asset ecosystem in the region. Dubai's progressive regulatory environment provides a strong foundation for innovation in tokenisation and we're proud to contribute to that vision by delivering secure, compliant tokenisation infrastructure for real-world asset issuance,' Robert Farquhar, Head of MENA at Ctrl Alt, added. This approval means Ctrl Alt becomes part of a developing ecosystem of licensed VASPs in one of the world's most innovative and ambitious regulatory environments for Web3 and digital asset innovation.
