We are coming to the end of one of the most tumultuous and eventful weeks of Donald Trump‘s second term so far, but it’s not over yet.
On Saturday, the U.S. Army will hold a military parade to celebrate its 250th anniversary, with more than 6,000 soldiers in current and historic uniforms, aircraft flyovers, a display of Army vehicles including tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles and a marching band. The reportedly event will conclude with a parachute jump by the Army’s Golden Knights who, according to the Washington Post, will present an American flag to the president.
While the celebration has been in the works for at least a year, the plans were more modest until Trump was elected, per the Post. He has long desired a parade that demonstrated America’s military might and reportedly requested one in his first term after witnessing the Bastille Day parade in France.
The Army is emphasizing the parade and other events are a celebration of its 250th anniversary, as a way to bring together service members and veterans from all over the country, as well as a recruiting tool. It’s also not out of the ordinary for a milestone anniversary. On the Army’s 200th anniversary on June 14, 1975, President Gerald Ford also recognized the occasion, albeit with a more modest celebration and speech at Fort Benning, GA.
Trump has promised that the parade and celebration “will be like one you have never seen before.” “This parade salutes our soldiers’ remarkable strength and unbeatable spirit. … Thundering tanks and breathtaking flyovers will roar through our capital city as nearly 7,000 soldiers march in historic uniforms from every major war since the Revolution.”
Networks are planning extensive coverage of the parade, which starts at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.
The parade has drawn concerns that, with Trump in a reviewing stand on the Ellipse, it will come across as an authoritarian-like display. The parade also is happening on his 79th birthday. Per NBC News, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) told reporters this week: “I wouldn’t have done it. I’m not sure what the actual expense of it is, but I’m not really, you know, we were always different than, you know, the images you saw in the Soviet Union and North Korea. We were proud not to be that.” He cautioned that he was not saying that was Trump’s intent.
While the Army sees the parade and other events as a long-in-the-works effort to recognize its legacy, predating the formation of the United States, it’s hard not to view the event within the context of what has unfolded in the past week. Trump’s federalization of the California National Guard to respond to protests following ICE raids, as well as the order to deploy 700 Marines. Gov. Gavin Newsom is challenging Trump’s actions in court but also has warned that it is just a prelude to further militarization efforts in other cities. Newsom called the parade a “vulgar display. It’s the kind of thing you see with Kim Jong Un, you see with Putin, you see with dictators around the world that are weak.” In Los Angeles, there is concern of more unrest amid the coverage of the parade.
Meanwhile, organizers for months have been planning protests to counter Trump and his plans for the day. The demonstrations, called the No Kings Day of Defiance, are being organized by a coalition of dozens of groups across the country, with more than 1,800 events planned. Organizers have stressed the need for peaceful demonstrations and also have purposefully avoided Washington, D.C., with the flagship March in Philadelphia.
“Instead of allowing this birthday parade to be the center of gravity, we will make action everywhere else the story of America that day: people coming together in communities across the country to reject strongman politics and corruption,” the organizers said. Most events also are taking place earlier in the day.
A worker helps build the main riser ahead of the Army’s 250th birthday parade
Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images
Here’s more information on what to expect on Saturday, including where to watch:
No Kings protests
Trump has threatened that those who protest the parade “will be met with very big force,” though White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later clarified that the president “absolutely supports peaceful protests.”
While there are concerns over potential disruptions in D.C., the No Kings protests are designed to “draw a clear contrast between our people-powered movement and the costly, wasteful and un-American birthday parade in Washington,” per the organizers. The groups involved include Indivisible, Public Citizen, the ACLU, the SEIU and the Sierra Club.
C-SPAN will provide coverage of the No Kings rally starting at 1 p.m. ET, and coverage also is expected on cable news and streaming channels.
The parade
The route is rather short — just five blocks along Constitution Avenue. A huge security fence has been installed along much of that area and the National Mall, where tanks and other military hardware have arrived.
The events include an Army birthday festival on the Mall throughout the day.
The evening parade is scheduled to last 90 minutes and will be followed by fireworks at 9:45 p.m. ET.
The cost
The Army has told reporters that the parade will have an estimated cost up to $45 million, including funds to repair damaged roads from the weight of heavy military equipment.
There has been criticism over the expense at a time when the Trump administration is making widespread cuts throughout the federal government. Trump has defended the sum, telling NBC News’ Meet the Press that it was “peanuts compared to the value of doing it.” The military’s marketing and advertising budget is more than $1 billion.
U.S. Army soldier pose for photograph in the World War II Memorial ahead of the Army’s 250th birthday parade
Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images
The coverage
The broadcast networks largely are leaving live coverage of the parade to their streaming channels.
ABC is airing the UFL championship that evening, but ABC News Live will carry the parade starting at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.
CBS News will provide updates on CBS Weekend News with Jericka Duncan, airing at 6:30 p.m. ET and 5:30 p.m. PT, with Major Garrett anchoring live parade coverage on CBS News 24/7.
NBC News Now will feature Aaron Gilchrist and Kelly O’Donnell, with correspondents Vaughn Hillyard, Ellison Barber and Julie Tsirkin along the parade route. NBCNews.com will be live all day with the liveblog of events.
CNN will cover the parade across platforms, with Brianna Keilar and Boris Sanchez leading coverage from Washington, D.C.
Fox News will present the four-hour special, Army 250 Parade, hosted by Lawrence Jones and Emily Compagno, starting at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT. Charlie Hurt, Rachel Campos-Duffy and Johnny Joey Jones will be live in Washington earlier in the day, with guests including Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll. The parade also will be streamed on Fox Nation.
MSNBC will be covering events throughout the day, with Ali Velshi in Washington, D.C., and coverage on its regular weekend programming. Coverage also will be featured on The Weekend: Primetime, starting at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT, with Ayman Mohyeldin, Catherine Rampell and Antonia Hylton. Jen Psaki will host a two-hour edition of The Briefing starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
NewsNation plans coverage throughout the day, including events at the festival on the National Mall. Parade coverage will start at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT, with Leland Vittert and Anna Kooiman co-anchoring a four-hour special, Tribute to America. NewsNation Digital will also carry the parade live.
The weather
This is the wild card, as D.C. moves into a period of high humidity and late afternoon and early-evening thunderstorms. Per the Capital Weather Gang, scattered showers and storms are possible “through the evening.”
