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Demonstrators march with a Trump baby balloon in Los Angeles. Alamy Stock Photo

Mass anti-Trump protests held across US as president hosts Washington military parade

Organisers said they were protesting against Trump’s dictatorial overreach, and in particular what they described as the strongman symbolism of the parade.

DONALD TRUMP HOSTED the largest US military parade in decades on his 79th birthday, as protesters rallied across the country to accuse him of acting like a dictator.

Trump hailed the United States as the “hottest country in the world” after watching tanks, aircraft and troops file past him in Washington to honour the 250th anniversary of the US army.

But it formed a stark split screen with turmoil at home and abroad, as police used tear gas to disperse protesters in Los Angeles and US ally Israel traded missile fire with Iran in a rapidly escalating conflict in the Middle East.

Trump’s parade on an overcast night in Washington came after hundreds of thousands of “No Kings” demonstrators thronged the streets in cities including New York, Philadelphia, Houston and Atlanta.

Trump largely avoided his usual domestic political diatribes in an unusually brief speech, and instead focused on praising the US army, saying that they “fight, fight, fight, and they win, win, win.”

The display of military might comes as Trump asserts his power domestically and on the international stage.

president-donald-trump-salutes-during-a-military-parade-commemorating-the-armys-250th-anniversary-coinciding-with-his-79th-birthday-saturday-june-14-2025-in-washington-as-defense-secretary-pete Trump salutes during the military parade in Washington. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

In his address to the parade, the US President sent a warning to Washington’s adversaries of “total and complete” defeat, with the United States increasingly at risk of getting tangled up in Israel’s conflict with Iran.

“Time and again, America’s enemies have learned that if you threaten the American people, our soldiers are coming for you,” Trump said.

‘Happy Birthday’

Trump had openly dreamed since his first term as president of having a grand military parade, of the type more often seen in Moscow or Pyongyang than Washington.

The last such parade in the United States was at the end of the 1991 Gulf War.

When it came, Trump stood and saluted on a stage outside the White House as tanks rumbled past, aircraft roared overhead and nearly 7,000 troops marched past.

a-military-parade-commemorating-the-armys-250th-anniversary-and-coinciding-with-president-donald-trumps-79th-birthday-saturday-june-14-2025-in-washington-ap-photojacquelyn-martin The military parade commemorating the US Army's 250th anniversary in Washington. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Troops and military hardware from different eras of US history passed by, with an announcer reeling off victories in battles with Japanese, German, Chinese and Vietnamese forces in past wars.

The army said the parade cost up to $45 million (€38 million). 

But while the crowd sang “Happy Birthday” and there were occasional chants of “USA! USA!”, the atmosphere was less intense than one of the barnstorming rallies that swept Trump to power.

The White House said that “over 250,000 patriots showed up” for the event, without providing evidence. Communications Director Steven Cheung described the “No Kings” protests as a “complete and utter failure.”

“No Kings” organisers said protesters gathered in hundreds of cities, with AFP journalists seeing large crowds in several cities.

Organisers said they were protesting against Trump’s dictatorial overreach, and in particular what they described as the strongman symbolism of the parade.

chicago-usa-14th-june-2025-tens-of-thousands-of-demonstrators-spill-onto-dearborn-street-to-attend-the-no-kings-rally-at-daley-plaza-on-saturday-june-14-2025-in-chicago-credit-john-j-kimc Tens of thousands of demonstrators spill onto Dearborn Street in Chicago. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

In New York, tens of thousands of people, many wearing raincoats and carrying colorful umbrellas, marched down Fifth Avenue in a downpour to the sounds of drums, bells and chants of “Hey hey, ho ho, Donald Trump has got to go!”

Actors Susan Sarandon and Mark Ruffalo were seen getting drenched among the protesters.

“I think people are mad as hell,” Lindsay Ross, a 28-year-old musician, told AFP in New York.

Some protesters targeted Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida – while a small group even gathered in Paris.

“I think it’s disgusting,” protester Sarah Hargrave, 42, said in the Washington suburb of Bethesda, describing Trump’s parade as a “display of authoritarianism.”

Bill Kennedy, a retired psychologist from Pennsylvania, was in Washington protesting a few hours before Trump’s parade. 

“I’m tired of the current administration. I think they’re a bunch of fascists,” he said, describing the military parade as “ridiculous.”

people-take-part-in-the-no-kings-day-protest-saturday-june-14-2025-in-chicago-ap-photonam-y-huh People take part in 'No Kings Day' protest in Chicago. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Suzanne Brown in Boston also lamented the money spent on the parade “for one man’s vanity.”

“We have a dictator,” said Robin Breed, a 56-year-old retired nurse, in Austin, Texas, where thousands demonstrated while surrounded by hundreds of police and state troopers.

“He is trampling on people’s lives, he’s militarising our streets, he is terrorising our communities,” he said, insisting it was important “to push back and say it’s our country, not his.”

‘Display of authoritarianism’

Thousands turned out in Los Angeles to protest Trump’s deployment of troops in the country’s second-largest city following clashes sparked by immigration raids.

“He’s trying to bully Los Angeles into complying with everything that he’s trying to do, and we’re not going to do that. We’re a city of immigrants,” a protester who gave his name as Armando told AFP.

After a day of largely peaceful protests, police unexpectedly began moving people away from the LA protest area, igniting confusion and anger among demonstrators caught off guard and unsure of where to go.

new-york-new-york-usa-14th-june-2025-people-blanketed-5th-avenue-as-far-as-the-eye-can-see-no-kings-day-protests-sweep-the-u-s-over-100000-rally-in-new-york-city-demanding-democracy-and-just People blanket New York's 5th Avenue as far as the eye can see. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Police on horseback pushed crowds back as law enforcement fired tear gas and flash-bang grenades hours ahead of an 8pm (4am Irish time) curfew.

Police officials said a “small group of agitators” had begun throwing rocks, bottles and fireworks at officers, prompting the decision to deploy tear gas and order the crowd to disperse.

Violence shattered the calm elsewhere, with a shooting at a ‘No Kings’ demonstration in the western US city of Salt Lake City.

At least one person was critically injured and three people were taken into custody, police said.

The killing of a Democratic lawmaker and her husband Saturday in the northern state of Minnesota – in what the governor called a targeted attack – also cast a pall over the parade.

Trump was quick to condemn the attacks outside Minneapolis in which former state speaker Melissa Hortman was killed along with her husband, while another state lawmaker and his wife were hospitalized with gunshot wounds.

With reporting from © AFP 2025

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    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Adam Walsh
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    Jan 7th 2015, 7:30 PM

    The only current affairs programme in the world that’s comedy gold

    223
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    Mute Dermot Lane
    Favourite Dermot Lane
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    Jan 7th 2015, 8:17 PM

    Yeah Druid but he can fixate on things sometimes and be a bit of a bully, but always watchable

    55
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    Mute Juninho
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    Jan 7th 2015, 10:25 PM

    I love Vincent but agree he occasionally catches onto the wrong detail in an argument and let’s more serious issues slip. But by and large a great asset to this country.

    30
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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Jan 7th 2015, 7:41 PM

    Vincent Browne deserves a Political Pension – He has done more for democracy in Ireland than all of Ff fg and lab in the current Dail – i.m.o.

    This is a clip of him giving it to Bertie …. a set of questions that is ….

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6tQN6H_tVY

    105
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    Mute Denis Maher
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    Jan 7th 2015, 7:48 PM

    Two words guaranteed to leave enda Kenny needing an urgent change of underpants……….Vincent brown.

    98
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    Mute Wexford pikeman
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    Jan 7th 2015, 7:48 PM

    Oh Vincent Brown, of all the Vincent Browns in the world, your the Vincent Browniest .

    86
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    Mute gumbridge
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    Jan 7th 2015, 7:54 PM

    VB is a national treasure.
    I watched him for the first time in a while last night.
    I don’t think he’s back to the full of his health since the pneumonia, but he seems even more crotchety and abrasive with his guests than ever before.
    May he get to do MANY more shows, and continue putting it up to sleeveens wherever they present themselves.

    64
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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Jan 7th 2015, 7:55 PM

    This man is a hero of mine!

    48
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    Mute Eimear Cregg
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    Jan 7th 2015, 7:50 PM

    Would love if they replayed some of the Mario Rosenstock clips ! Comedy gold

    40
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    Mute ConcernedCitizen
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    Jan 7th 2015, 8:06 PM

    I wish Vinny all the best.
    Used to be a big fan but since the Irish Water fiasco started he has unfortunately shown time and again that he has sold out to Denis O’Brien. It hurts to say it but he’s just not the force he was at all. The show descends into meaningless farce on a regular basis with eejits like Marie Louise O’Donnell talking nonsense. Last night’s show was the best in ages so we’ll see.
    Happy 1001 anyway !

    36
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    Mute Tweety McTweeter
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    Jan 7th 2015, 9:14 PM

    The man is a machine.

    He was on Ireland AM at 7:30 this morning after finishing late last night.
    To be fair, he was a little cranky but who wouldn’t be with that much sleep? I’m considering changing my angry chicken avatar to him in his honour.

    28
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    Mute Denis Maher
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    Jan 7th 2015, 7:56 PM

    I hope they show the clip where the FG’er Bernard just will not shut up, Willie 0′dea couldn’t get a word in, fionnan sheehan nearly fell off his chair laughing. One of the best ever. If not its worth checking out on youtube.

    26
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    Mute Dermot Lane
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    Jan 7th 2015, 8:40 PM

    And the time Joan Burton lost the rag with Joe Higgins

    28
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    Mute CreditTiger
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    Jan 7th 2015, 11:07 PM

    “Stop haranguin’ me Vencennnt!!

    13
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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Jan 8th 2015, 5:13 AM

    Are they not called tampons lol.

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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Jan 7th 2015, 7:42 PM

    If you want to know the government’s thinking on the need for a snap election then watch the guests on Vincent Browne – He has promised to give them as much time as they returned to his offers to appear on the show when they refused-

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    Mute Celticspirit321
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    Jan 7th 2015, 10:13 PM

    I would live to find out the things Vincent knows about some of the politicians which he can’t repeat due to libel etc

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    Mute Eugene Walsh
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    Jan 7th 2015, 10:43 PM

    Absolutely. But it would probably create a civil unrest.

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    Mute Eugene Walsh
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    Jan 7th 2015, 10:17 PM

    Go on, go on just go on,
    Ya ya ya will ya continue
    Ya ya yaaaaa jeez ya
    GO ON WILL YA!

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    Mute Turlough O' Connor
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    Jan 8th 2015, 12:35 PM

    His memory is phenomenal…. Don’t you just love when some old party hack starts spoofing and Vin can quote exactly what was said and then watch the hack squirming!.. Great pleasure indeed…. Irriplacable…

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    Mute Turlough O' Connor
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    Jan 8th 2015, 12:36 PM

    Irreplaceable .., sorry

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Jan 8th 2015, 5:16 AM

    What would Vincent think of this, Bieden being racist towards all the Irish…
    Vice President Biden: “I may be Irish, but I’m not stupid.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm9BtjqlVXQ

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Jan 8th 2015, 5:12 AM

    TTIP TTIP Hooray lol.

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