President Donald Trump’s long-desired military parade proceeded down Constitution Avenue in Washington D.C. on 14 June, featuring tanks, troops and ceremonial displays, while demonstrators across the country organized “No Kings” protests against Trump denouncing what they characterized as authoritarianism.

According to Associated Press, more than 6,000 American military personnel and 128 tanks participated in the parade, which featured a 21-gun salute and a demonstration jump by the “Golden Knights” parachute team over the National Mall. The event included exhibitions of armored vehicles, helicopters and military equipment, alongside sales of army merchandise and Trump-branded items.

Trump had pursued such a parade since his first presidential term, drawing inspiration from a 2017 Paris military display. The Washington event finally materialized as part of the Army’s 250th anniversary celebration.

The celebration included Trump personally administering oaths to 250 army recruits and contractors, along with musical performances and fireworks. However, organizers canceled the planned flyover of American fighter jets due to weather conditions.

Attendance fell significantly short of projected expectations, with many designated spectator areas remaining empty despite predictions of 200,000 attendees.

Meanwhile, protest organizers coordinated “No Kings” rallies in hundreds of cities on the same day, explicitly designed to counter what they described as Trump’s ego-driven celebration. Washington demonstrators carried signs reading “Where’s the due process?” and “No to Trump’s fascist military parade” while marching toward the White House. Protesters displayed a large Trump puppet wearing a crown and sitting on a golden toilet, along with messages referencing Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

They called for the defense of democracy, immigrant rights, and civil liberties, highlighting deep divisions in the country.

The parade addition to the Army anniversary celebration drew criticism for its estimated $45 million cost and potential street damage from heavy tanks. Army officials implemented protective measures including metal plates along the parade route.

A poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about 60 % of Americans considered the parade an inappropriate use of government funds, while 78 % expressed neither approval nor disapproval of the event overall.

On US President Donald Trump’s birthday, millions of Americans participated in coordinated “No Kings” protests across nearly 2,000 locations nationwide. The participants voiced opposition to President Donald Trump while advocating for democracy and immigrant rights protection.

The demonstrations were organized by the 50501 Movement, which takes its name from “50 states, 50 protests, one movement,” according to CBS News. 

Organizers stated the protests aimed to reject what they termed authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and militarization of democracy. 

Demonstrators gathered in major cities including Seattle, Atlanta, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Denver and Houston, among others, the Associated Press reports. 

Additionally, protesters assembled in cities ranging from small towns to major metropolitan areas, with Seattle alone drawing over 70,000 participants.

Given this scope, Republican governors in Virginia, Texas, Nebraska and Missouri mobilized National Guard forces to assist law enforcement agencies in managing the demonstrations.

Lawmaker assassination prompts protest cancellation in Minnesota

Minnesota officials canceled all scheduled “No Kings” protests after state Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed, while state Senator John Hoffman and his wife were wounded in politically motivated overnight shootings targeting Democratic lawmakers. Police found “No Kings” fliers and a list of potential targets in the suspect’s vehicle.

Texas state legislators received credible threats ahead of the planned Austin capitol protest, leading to one arrest by the state’s Department of Public Safety.

Trump organizes military parade on his birthday

The demonstrations coincided with Trump’s attendance at a military parade in Washington marking the Army’s 250th anniversary, which also falls on the president’s birthday. The parade involved hundreds of military vehicles, aircraft and thousands of soldiers, with costs estimated at $45 million.

The celebration, however, drew far fewer spectators than the predicted 200,000, with many viewing areas remaining empty.

About 200 protesters assembled at Logan Circle in northwest Washington, chanting “Trump must go now” and displaying a large puppet depicting Trump wearing a crown and sitting on a golden toilet, according to the AP. 

The No Kings Coalition stated after Saturday’s events:

“Today, across red states and blue, rural towns and major cities, Americans stood in peaceful unity and made it clear: we don’t do kings.”

Previous anti-Trump Hands off protests 

In April 2025, tens of thousands of people across all 50 US states and in major cities throughout Europe staged “Hands Off!” protests against President Donald Trump and his ally Elon Musk, voicing opposition to sweeping government overhauls, mass federal layoffs, and aggressive cuts to social programs led by the newly created Department of Government Efficiency headed by Musk.

The largely peaceful demonstrations demanded an end to what they called a “billionaire power grab,” condemned attacks on immigrants and marginalized communities, and criticized the administration’s moves to downsize government and restrict rights.