National Protests During Military Parade

On June 14, 2025, Military paraders marched down the streets of Washington DC, celebrating the US Army’s 250th anniversary. At the same time, huge crowds throughout the United States gathered together to protest the president’s immigration roundups, dubbed the “No Kings” movement.

President Trump long dreamt of having a fearless display of America’s military strength to the world. According to NPR, “Trump wanted to hold the parade during his first term, but it was scrapped because it was deemed too expensive.” Coincidentally, June 14th was also Trump’s birthday, but he denied that he used the military parade to celebrate his own birthday.

As the 60-ton tanks rolled down Constitution Avenue in Washington, DC, millions of dollars are expected to repair the roads later on because the tanks damaged the roads. Despite the high cost, Trump still insisted on having a military parade to remind the world of America’s firm military power. Last month, the president told NBC News that the price tag was “peanuts compared to the value of doing it.” Obviously, the president thought the cost of repairing the roads was nothing compared to the glory of holding the parade.

While Trump was having his great military parade, protesters all across the US, from large cities to small towns, showed up in overwhelmingly peaceful demonstrations against how Trump was making use of the modern force. However, no national celebration takes place in a political vacuum. Trump’s decisions over the past week to deploy the National Guard into Los Angeles has badly shaken the spirits of the Americans.

According to the New York Times, multiple interviews with the protesters show many reasons why Trump drew them onto the streets. It was not only President Trump’s immigration order and the military parade Trump had planned that evening. Some of them protest against Trump’s latest immigration order, while others complain of the proposed cuts to Medicaid. For Vinnie Walsh, an 82-year-old resident of Auburn, Massachusetts, it was “the whole nine yards — the loss of decency, courtesy, compassion, democracy.” Walsh’s words show how people are disappointed in Trump’s government, and the protestors believe Trump’s actions were more like those of a king rather than an elected president. Jerry Herrejon, 38, and a local of Chicago, said he was protesting proposed cuts to Medicaid.

The national parade represents the democracy written in the United States Constitution, while President Trump wants to make America great again with his various orders. However, the fundamental framework for the US to be great again is rooted in the Constitution – the government is designed to serve the Americans’ interests.

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/14/us/politics/trump-parade-protests.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/no-kings-day-demonstration-protest-rally-trump-military-parade/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ice-directed-to-pause-immigration-arrests-at-farms-hotels-and-restaurants/

https://www.npr.org/2025/06/15/nx-s1-5433765/3-takeaways-from-the-military-parade-and-no-kings-protests-on-trumps-birthday