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On June 14, 2025—his birthday—Donald Trump threw what was billed as a celebration of the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary. In reality, it turned into a glorified MAGA-fest dressed up with tanks, flags, and enough red, white, and blue to make a fireworks show blush. Marketed as a patriotic tribute, it ended up looking more like a mix between a poorly attended rally and a reality TV show episode titled “Dictator Cosplay Parade.” What followed was a parade so bloated, underwhelming, and expensive that it made even the 1991 Gulf War celebration look modest.

A $45 Million Self-Birthday Bash (With Tanks!)

Official estimates place the cost of the event between $25 million and $45 million, with the most conservative figure not even including $16 million in street and infrastructure repairs from rolling military hardware through downtown D.C. (Washington Post). All for a few hours of spectacle that could have been better spent, well, almost anywhere else.

Critics across the political spectrum questioned the fiscal sanity of the event. With that kind of budget, the administration could have expanded VA mental health services, fixed aging military housing, or even funded a public veteran job placement program. But no! We got a stage-managed tank parade and robot dogs instead. Trump dismissed budget concerns, calling the cost “peanuts” (Guardian), which might sound cute if you weren’t paying for those peanuts through your taxes.

Underwhelming, Overhyped, Undercrowded

Prior to the event, organizers promised a crowd of 200,000 patriotic attendees lining the National Mall. In reality, it looked more like the early morning shift at a DMV. Even aerial photos showed large stretches of empty seating, raising uncomfortable flashbacks to Trump’s 2017 inauguration crowd claims (Vanity Fair).

On the ground, many attendees were confused, fatigued, or simply unimpressed. The troops marched robotically with zero fanfare. Observers described the atmosphere as “awkward” and “flat.” One viral clip even showed Trump momentarily closing his eyes during the parade, which some joked was him “catching up on executive time.” It felt more like a low-budget dress rehearsal for a parade than a national celebration.

And, perhaps, the most telling part of it all was how the soldiers who participated behaved:

As it was pointed out by many veterans on social media, ever soldier can march. The common consensus is that they did not really want to. A form of silent protest. Who can blame them? While Trump does seem to view US soldiers as pawns and stupid, they certainly are not and they can clearly realize when they are being taken advantage of.

Worse Than the Gulf War Parade, and Infamously Political

The last large-scale military parade was in 1991, held to celebrate victory in the Gulf War. That event cost about $12 million and, while controversial, was focused on honoring soldiers and unifying the country. It didn’t feature Oracle sponsorship banners, robot dogs, or the thinly veiled campaign ads that littered Trump’s spectacle (Washington Post).

Don’t get me wrong! Even that parade was bad, with similar marching problems and a lot of controversy. But it was still miles ahead of what happened now in 2025 and what Trump surely hoped.

Unlike past celebrations that steered clear of partisanship, this parade was overtly political. Volunteers in MAGA gear were strategically placed in front of cameras. At one point, a flyover trailed a “Trump 2024” banner, making the already blurred line between patriotism and campaigning disappear entirely. Military parades are supposed to celebrate national strength, not individual egos. This one did the latter with all the subtlety of a marching band playing “Hail to the Narcissist.”

Protests and Discontent Across the Nation

While tanks rolled through D.C., protests erupted in over 100 cities, with the “No Kings” movement drawing attention to the parade’s authoritarian undertones. Demonstrators carried signs reading “America Doesn’t Bow,” and “We Salute Service, Not Spectacle” (Vanity Fair). Many veterans even participated in the protests, arguing that the event misrepresented the military’s values.

It is enough to look at Chicago for the reaction to Trump’s Parade.

The national reaction was deeply polarized, but even some conservatives questioned whether this level of military pageantry was appropriate in a democracy. Critics likened the event to what you’d expect in Pyongyang, not Pennsylvania Avenue. What should’ve been a nonpartisan tribute to the Army’s legacy turned into an unapologetic power flex, complete with campaign undertones and revisionist history.

Final Verdict

So what did America get for its $45 million? A poorly attended, overly hyped spectacle that lacked dignity, substance, and strategic value. It neither honored the troops sincerely nor united the country meaningfully. Worse, it made a mockery of past military tributes, replacing respectful solemnity with ego-driven theatrics.

Trump may have billed it as a tribute to the Army, but everyone watching knew the truth: it was a birthday party for himself—with taxpayers footing the bill. While veterans struggle with access to care, and families tighten their budgets, this extravagant waste of money served only one man’s image. If the goal was to show American strength, the end result showed American weakness—a country that let showmanship eclipse service.

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