U.S. President Donald Trump marked the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army with a military parade in Washington on Saturday, an event that coincided with his 79th birthday. The display included armored vehicles, aerial flyovers, and marching troops, drawing both supporters and critics to the capital.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of protesters rallied under the "No Kings" banner in cities including New York, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. Organizers claimed demonstrations occurred in 1,500 locations nationwide, with Los Angeles seeing particularly large crowds opposing Trump's recent deployment of troops following immigration-related clashes.
The White House dismissed the protests, with Communications Director Steven Cheung calling them a "complete and utter failure" on social media platform X, despite photographic evidence of substantial turnout. The juxtaposition of military celebration and civil dissent highlighted deepening political divisions in the United States.
Analysts note the timing reflects broader tensions as the country approaches a contentious election cycle, with Trump's policies and rhetoric continuing to polarize public opinion.
