After day of nationwide protests, Trump's military parade rolls through D.C.

 President Donald Trump's long-sought military parade rolled through the streets of downtown Washington on Saturday. Still, the celebration of the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary was marred by a day of violence and discord.

In the hours before the parade began, hundreds of thousands of Americans marched and rallied in streets in cities from New York to Chicago to Los Angeles, protesting Trump's actions while in office, in the largest such actions since his return to power in January.

Earlier in the day, a gunman assassinated a Democratic lawmaker and wounded another in Minnesota and remained at large.

Meanwhile, Israel and Iran exchanged further attacks early on Sunday, stoking fears of a mushrooming conflict between the two nations.

All of it followed a week of tension in Los Angeles, where protests over federal immigration raids resulted in Trump calling in National Guard troops and U.S. Marines to help keep the peace, over the objections of the state's Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom.

The parade, which fell on Trump's 79th birthday, kicked off earlier than expected with thunderstorms forecast in the Washington area.

Tanks, armored personnel carriers, and artillery rumbled down the parade route along storied Constitution Avenue, an unusual sight in the U.S., where such displays of military might are rare.

"Every other country celebrates their victories; it's about time America did too," Trump told the crowd following the parade.

Thousands of spectators lined up along the route. Trump watched the proceedings from an elevated viewing stand behind bulletproof glass.

Some of the president's opponents also managed to find a spot along the parade route, holding signs in protest. Other demonstrators were kept separate from the parade crowd by local police.

The U.S. Army has brought nearly 7,000 troops into Washington, along with 150 vehicles, including more than 25 M1 Abrams tanks, 28 Stryker armored vehicles, four Paladin self-propelled artillery vehicles, and artillery pieces, including the M777 and M119.

ARMY'S HISTORY

The parade traced the history of the Army from its founding during the Revolutionary War through modern day. Trump frequently stood and saluted troops as they marched by.

Members of Trump's cabinet, including Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio looked on.

Trump had first expressed interest in a military parade in Washington early in his first 2017-2021 term in office.

In 1991, tanks and thousands of troops paraded through Washington to celebrate the ousting of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's forces from Kuwait in the Gulf War.

Item 1 of 5 Members of the U.S. Army’s Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division operate a M1A2 SEP V3 tank down Constitution Avenue as they move past U.S. President Donald Trump during the Army’s 250th Birthday parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 14, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder

[1/5]Members of the U.S. Army’s Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division operate a M1A2 SEP V3 tank down Constitution Avenue as they move past U.S. President Donald Trump during the Army’s 250th Birthday parade in Washington, D.C.,... Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab Read more

The celebrations were expected to cost the U.S. Army between $25 million and $45 million, U.S. officials have told Reuters. That includes the parade itself as well as the cost of moving equipment and housing, and feeding the troops.

Critics have called the parade an authoritarian display of power that is wasteful, especially given that Trump has said he wants to slash costs throughout the federal government.

Bryan Henrie, a Trump supporter, flew in from Texas to celebrate the Army's anniversary and did not see any issues with tanks rolling down the streets of Washington.

“I don’t see a controversy. I will celebrate safety and stability any day over anarchy,” 61-year-old Henrie said.

'SHAME! SHAME!'

Earlier in the day, thousands marched in Washington and other cities in protest of Trump's policies. The demonstrations were largely peaceful and marked the largest outpouring of opposition to Trump's presidency since he returned to power in January.

In Los Angeles, however, the situation remained tense. About an hour before a downtown curfew, police officers mounted on horses were aggressively pushing back demonstrators, using gas, flash bangs, and other less lethal munitions, causing large groups to panic and flee.

Protesters were firing what police called commercial-grade fireworks against officers, along with rocks and bottles. Some demonstrators wore gas masks and helmets and vowed to stay in the area for many more hours.

A crowd earlier had confronted soldiers guarding a federal building, yelling “Shame! Shame!” and “Marines, get out of LA!”

Anti-Trump groups planned nearly 2,000 demonstrations across the country to coincide with the parade. Many took place under the theme "No Kings," asserting that no individual is above the law.

Thousands of people of all ages turned out in and around Bryant Park in Midtown Manhattan, many carrying homemade signs that played off the “No Kings” theme. “No crown for a clown,” said one. Actor Mark Ruffalo was among the demonstrators, wearing a hat that read "immigrant."

“We're seeing dehumanizing language towards LGBT people, towards people with autism, towards people with other disabilities, racial minorities, undocumented people,” said Cooper Smith, 20, from upstate New York. “Somebody’s got to show that most Americans are against this.”

Protesters in downtown Chicago stood off against police on Saturday, with some waving upside-down American flags and chanting: “Who do you protect? Who do you serve?” and “No justice, no peace."

Members of the far-right Proud Boys, ardent Trump supporters, appeared at an Atlanta "No Kings" protest, wearing the group's distinctive black and yellow colors.

About 400 protesters, organized by a group called RefuseFascism.org, marched through Washington and gathered for a rally in a park opposite the White House. Trump had warned people against protesting at the parade itself, saying that "they're going to be met with very big force."

Sunsara Taylor, a founder of RefuseFascism, told the crowd, “Today we refuse to accept Donald Trump unleashing the military against the people of this country and in the streets of this country. We say, 'Hell no.'”

About 50 U.S. Marines squared off against hundreds of protesters in front of a federal building in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, with the crowd yelling in unison for them to go home.

The Marines had been sent to the city by U.S. President Donald Trump along with federalized members of the California National Guard earlier this week over the objections of the state governor and the city's mayor, as anger over immigration raids drew thousands of demonstrators into the streets.

Jesus Arias, a Los Angeles-based attorney, was at the front of the crowd with a bullhorn, working to convince the Marines to abandon their post.

"We are not your enemy, we are the people!" Arias said into the bullhorn as the Marines looked on. "You are breaking the oaths you took to be Marines. Wake up! Wake up!"

California Governor Gavin Newsom and local leaders have called Trump's move an inflammatory provocation for the protests over the past week, demonstrations that the local sheriff on Friday said were 99% peaceful, with only a handful of people engaged in violence and vandalism.

Trump summoned 700 Marines from California who were trained to help in the L.A. mission, including de-escalation and crowd control.

The deployment sparked a debate about the use of the military on U.S. soil, given that Marines are trained for conflicts around the world rather than at home. Still, the Trump administration has defended its move by citing the need to maintain law and order. Trump, who is carrying out a campaign promise to deport illegal immigrants, has argued that Los Angeles would have burned down if he had not acted quickly.

The Marines were armed with M4 rifles and wore face shields and the same shin guards used by baseball catchers. They stood guard at the top of steps leading to the entrance of the Roybal federal building, which houses immigration offices and where ICE has held some undocumented detainees. The building has been a flashpoint for protesters all week.

Just down the steps about 15 feet away, hundreds of protesters confronted the Marines, yelling in unison, "Marines go home!" and "Shame! Shame!"

Several protesters hurled insults and invectives at the Marines, who did not react. Some in the crowd were telling them to take a knee or to join their demonstration. As of 4 p.m., there had been no physical altercation between the protesters and Marines.

Kai Ly, a 45-year-old Los Angeles resident, was in the crowd.

"This is such a sad moment in time for the U.S.," Ly said. "It's sad to see that we're so divided that we have Marines heading off against protesters."

Antoinette Gutierrez, 36, was another Los Angeles resident protesting before the Marines.

"It's disgusting to have the military, to have the Marines, turned against citizens," she said. "It makes me embarrassed to be American."