Military might on display during Army’s 250th birthday parade in DC
Watch a livestream of the military parade in celebration of the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary on WTOP.
Flanked by first lady Melania Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and surrounded by thousands of parade and festival attendees, President Donald Trump, whose birthday was Saturday, beheld the start of a parade celebrating the Army’s 250th anniversary.
With the Washington Monument blending in against the backdrop of a gray and rainy sky, members of the Army’s parachute team The Golden Knights dropped from above with colored smoke billowing behind them.
What followed next was a showcase of the history of the Army, from its inception to the present day. The cavalcade included planes, tanks, troops on horseback and other military vehicles, which passed by Trump, who at times stood and saluted as they went.
Parade and festival attendees gathered at the National Mall earlier Saturday.
“The crowd has picked up considerably as the events have gotten underway,” said WTOP’s Dan Ronan, who reported from the scene. He said there were military vehicles on display on the mall, including helicopters, which caught the curiosity of several people who went to take a peek.
Other activities during the festival was an endurance course, where a number of Army personnel performed going trough the obstacles.
Despite security checkpoints throught the festival area, Ronan said it was easy to get through.
Tom Aretz, who served in Vietnam, said he “came to honor my country, watching my 250th anniversary for my famed Army. We love the Army.”
A concert at the Ellipse scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Fireworks are expected to begin at 9:45 p.m.
How many people were expected and how much did the parade cost?
The National Park Service issued a permit for 50,000 people for the festival along the National Mall, and a separate permit for 200,000 people for Saturday evening’s parade.
The Trump administration has been planning the event that aims to recognize the military milestone. The parade is projected to cost between $25 million and $40 million and falls on the same day as Trump’s 79th birthday.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Democrat representing Maryland’s 8th district, spoke at a “No Kings” rally in Philadelphia and had a message for Trump on his 79th birthday.
“President Donald Trump, happy 79th birthday. Sorry we couldn’t make it to your party, but we did pay for it. You are not our king and we are not your subjects. We will never be your subjects,” Raskin told the crowd.
Demonstrators protesting against Trump and his administration’s policies sprang up across neighborhoods in the D.C. area and across the country Saturday.
WTOP’s Scott Gelman and Dan Ronan, who reported from the National Mall, contributed to this report.