The US Department of Defense faced criticism after posting a Flag Day greeting that appeared to contain Russian flag colors.

However, the image actually contained only two stripes – white and red – with a gap between them. The blue background of the image created the optical illusion of a blue stripe between the white and red ones, giving the appearance of the Russian tricolor.

The Pentagon’s post featured an image that, alongside the American flag, displayed what initially appeared to be two small Russian tricolors.

The post included a message stating: “Let us honor the emblem of our nation and the stars and stripes that unite us all. As we display our nations flag and reflect on the values it represents, let’s celebrate the freedom, courage and resilience that makes our country great.”

The apparent error drew immediate attention from observers. Former Voice of America Ukrainian correspondent Ostap Yarish questioned the design, writing: “Who made this design? I understand it wasn’t intentional, but these white, blue, and red stripes look exactly like the Russian flag.”

Despite numerous comments from users pointing out the perceived mistake, the Defense Department did not remove the image, which remains on their social media platforms.

On 14 June, the US held its first military parade in decades to mark the army’s 250th anniversary. The parade featured thousands of servicemembers and various military equipment, while simultaneously, Americans across the country participated in protests against Trump under the slogan “No Kings.”

US President Donald Trump disclosed details of a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, sharing the information through his Truth Social platform.

According to Trump, Putin initiated the call to congratulate him on his birthday. The conversation covered multiple international issues, with Iran featuring prominently in their discussions. Trump indicated that Putin “knows this country very well,” suggesting the Russian leader’s familiarity with Iranian affairs influenced their dialogue.

Earlier, Putin’s assistant Yuri Ushakov told Russian state agency TASS that both leaders discussed the Israel-Iran conflict extensively, with Putin offering Russia as a mediator between the countries while condemning Israeli actions. Trump assessed the situation between the nations as “alarming” but noted the effectiveness of Israeli strikes against Iran.

The US President revealed that while Russia and Ukraine were discussed, these topics received limited attention during this particular call.

“We talked at length. We spent much less time talking about Russia and Ukraine, but that will be next week,” Trump stated, indicating future discussions on the conflict are planned.

Trump disclosed that Putin is also coordinating a prisoner exchange involving “a large number of prisoners” from both sides, describing the exchange as imminent.

Ukraine and Russia conducted a series of prisoner exchanges in June 2025, with the fourth swap occurring on 14 June, marking intense ongoing efforts to repatriate captives following an agreement reached during talks in Istanbul on 2 June. These exchanges primarily focus on releasing severely wounded, seriously ill soldiers, and military personnel aged 18 to 25, many of whom have been held since 2022.

Both leaders addressed peace negotiations regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, with Putin declaring that Russia is ready to continue dialogue with Ukraine after 22 June, according to Ushakov. Trump confirmed his desire for the quickest possible end to the war in Ukraine.

However, on 15 June, shortly after Putin congratulated Trump on his birthday during a phone call, Russia launched its largest missile and drone strike on the Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk, targeting critical energy and agricultural infrastructure. The strike hit Kremenchuk Thermal Power Plant and oil refinery, vital for Ukraine’s energy and defense systems.

The assault, involving nearly 200 missiles and drones, caused around 30 explosions and fires that burned for hours, damaging residential buildings and vehicles but reportedly causing no casualties due to effective Ukrainian air defenses that intercepted most of the attack.

On his birthday, Trump also attended a military parade in Washington, D.C., featuring over 6,000 troops, 128 tanks, armored vehicles, helicopters, and a 21-gun salute, as part of the US Army’s 250th anniversary celebration.

Despite the grandeur, attendance was much lower than expected, and the parade occurred amid widespread protests nationwide under the “No Kings” movement, denouncing Trump’s perceived authoritarianism and criticizing the parade as an extravagant, ego-driven display amid ongoing political and social divisions.

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.