President Donald Trump isn’t letting anyone get in the way of his birthday celebration, warning protesters who plan to interrupt a massive military parade in DC on June 14 that they’ll be “met with very big force.”
The costly military parade, coinciding with Trump’s birthday and Flag Day, is set to include heavy tanks and armored vehicles, as well as thousands of federal agents, police officers and other security across the U.S.
Security measures also include drones surveilling the crowd, metal detectors, anti-scale fencing, and concrete barriers, said USA TODAY. It comes after Trump ordered troops to Los Angeles to respond to protests against ICE operations.
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office he hadn’t heard about plans for protests at the June 14 parade but alluded to possible dissent on Saturday, adding, “this is people that hate our country.”
Trump’s remarks come as activists plan a nationwide “NO KINGS National Day of Defiance,” or simply “No Kings protests,” on June 14. Here’s what to know about Trump’s birthday parade, including time and how to get tickets, as well as whether there are protests planned near the U.S. Capital.
When is the US military parade?
The Army Birthday Parade will take place Saturday, June 14 on Constitution Avenue near the National Mall in the heart of Washington, D.C. Trump will sit in a viewing stand on Constitution Avenue, just south of the White House.
The Army said the parade will kick off at 6:30 p.m. and conclude around 7:30 p.m. Following the parade, Trump is expected to attend an enlistment and re-enlistment ceremony. There will also be a concert at the Ellipse, the park south of the White House fence, and the U.S. Army Golden Knights team will parachute in and present Trump with the U.S. flag. The evening will conclude with fireworks around 9:45 p.m.
When is Trump’s birthday?
President Trump’s birthday is June 14, 2025. He will turn 79. The day coincides with Flag Day and the U.S. Army’s Birthday Parade.
What will the parade cost?
The latest price tag for the massive event is $30 million, a figure that could rise as high as $45 million.
The Army has promised to fix any city streets caused by parade damage, including from the massive tankers rolling through, according to USA TODAY. Cleanup costs and police were not part of the estimate.
Trump military parade tickets
Free tickets for the U.S. Army’s Grand Military Parade and Celebration are limited. Those interested in attending can RSVP online. The form includes your full name, email, phone number, zip code, and state. Two people can register under one cell phone number.
How to watch
The parade and other highlights from the military celebration will be livestreamed across U.S. Army social media platforms.
When was the last US military parade?
Military parades are generally rare in the U.S. Both the Marines and the Navy are celebrating their 250th anniversaries this year, although neither are planning parades. Raw displays of military power are common in Russia, China and North Korea to send aggressive political and propagandistic messages to adversaries at home and abroad, according to USA TODAY.
In 1991, tanks and thousands of troops paraded through Washington, D.C. to celebrate the eviction of Saddam Hussein’s army from Kuwait in the Gulf War. The parade, held under then-President George H.W. Bush, was believed to have cost $8 million and drew a crowd of 200,000 people.
‘No Kings’ protests
Indivisible, a progressive activist group, is partnering with groups including 50501 to host more than 1,700 protests worldwide on June 14. Organizers are countering Trump’s plans to “stage a spectacle of strength” during the Army’s birthday celebration by “hijacking it to celebrate himself.”
There are no planned “No Kings” protests in Washington, D.C. on June 14. Ezra Levin, co-founder of Indivisible, told USA TODAY they intentionally avoided having a protest in the capital to avoid being cast as “anti-veteran.”
Organizers are instead hosting their largest protest starting at noon in Philadelphia.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
