Cnn
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President Donald Trump praised the United States army as the “greatest, the fiercest and the most courageous combat force” at the end of a great demonstration of military power in the national capital on Saturday while the army celebrated its 250th anniversary with a parade.
“Many and many times, American enemies have learned that if you threaten the American people, our soldiers come for you. Your defeat will be certain, your disappearance will be final and your fall will be total and complete,” said Trump on Saturday, offering a brutal message in the middle of a moment of conflict around the world.
“The army keeps us free, you make us strong and tonight, you made all the Americans very proud,” said Trump that the army soldiers gathered at the National Mall.
The military parade coincided with the president’s 79th anniversary and took place while crowds across the country attended “no kings” demonstrations, denouncing what the organizers have described as Trump authoritarian policies. The president was welcomed in his parade stand with the pump, the circumstances and an impromptu birthday celebration. He arrived at a greeting of 21 cannons – and while the cannons fired, members of the crowd began to sing you “happy birthday to you”.
The parade presented several million pounds of military equipment, including dozens of M1-A1 Abrams tanks and Bradley and Stryker combat vehicles which cross the streets of DC, as well as howitzers and other artillery pieces.
Nearly 7,000 soldiers had to participate in the largest military parade that the city has seen for decades, which, according to officials, could cost up to $ 45 million. The event told the story of the army through its 250 years of history, starting with the revolutionary war and to trace through major conflicts.
The eras of army history were represented with vintage uniforms and equipment. At the start of each era, the parade master of the parade gave a brief history of the conflict and described the equipment.
The celebration of the army has been in preparation for two years, although planning of the parade, which was the idea of Trump’s White House, started a few months ago. Trump’s desire for a large military parade – featuring all military services – date of his first mandate. But it was put up at the time in the middle of the concerns concerning the price label and the optics of such a display of power.
In photos: DC Military Parade celebrates the 250th anniversary of the American army
Trump swore A patriotic show Unlike everything that has been seen before and said it would take place, whatever the stormy time expected in the national capital. The parade ran before the scheduled date and some events, such as an overview of the F-22, seemed to be canceled because of the weather.
While the president focused on the military parade in DC, dozens of Americans have attended “No kings” protests across the country. More than 2,000 demonstrations in the 50 states have been planned by the movement, which aims to reject “authoritarianism, billionaire policy and the militarization of our democracy”.
Although the organizers of “No Kings” did not deliberately have organized protests to DC to avoid drawing attention to the parade, some demonstrators gathered in the national capital, holding signs with sentences such as “no fasciscis USA” and “No Kings”.
The military parade and the demonstrations were amplified by a week of Demonstrations against immigration and customs raids in Los Angeles and other major cities. Trump Federalized 4,000 members of the California National Guard Against the will of Governor Gavin NewsomWith orders to protect federal buildings and staff in the midst of immigration demonstrations in Los Angeles.
Some states have sought to get ahead of Saturday demonstrations by deploying the national guard of their state. Texas governor Greg Abbott deployed his condition this week before the planned demonstrations, including a NO Kings event in San Antonio on Saturday. Governor Mike Kehoe activated the Missouri National Guard on Thursday “as a precaution in reaction to recent cases of civilian disorders across the country”.