By Sama Marwan,
President Donald Trump finally got the military parade he had long desired on Saturday, featuring a massive display of military power and patriotic fervor—and it happened to coincide with his 79th birthday.
However, as The Washington Post reported, the day was cloudy and somber, marking the end of one of the most turbulent weeks of his presidency so far.
This came in the wake of the deployment of military forces in Los Angeles, the second-largest U.S. city, the outbreak of war between Iran and Israel, and less than 24 hours before the parade, the targeted assassination of a former Minnesota State House Speaker and her husband took place.
According to the newspaper, amid all this domestic and international turmoil, the military show, like many events in America today, was interpreted in conflicting ways.
Trump supporters saw it as a celebration of order and stability, while critics viewed it as a display that encourages violence and authoritarianism.
The paper noted that Trump, standing on a platform flanked by two tanks, did not address the divisions in his seven-minute speech, nor did he mention the country’s tense atmosphere or the political violence dominating the day’s headlines.
Instead, he chose to highlight battlefield heroism and America’s formidable military strength, which he is now using to suppress protests in Los Angeles.
He declared:
“America’s enemies have learned again and again that if you threaten the American people, our soldiers will come for you.
Your defeat will be certain, your destruction final, and your downfall total and complete.”
He added:
“We affirm with unshakable certainty… that whenever duty calls, and no matter the danger, the American soldier will be there.”
While military officials avoided drawing attention to Trump’s birthday, some in the crowd sang “Happy Birthday” loudly after his speech.
Vice President J.D. Vance, who introduced Trump, and Lee Greenwood, who performed afterward, both wished him a happy birthday as well.
During the three-hour military show, Trump watched soldiers in historical uniforms riding horses, bomber jets flying overhead, and members of the Golden Knights parachute team descending from the sky.
At times he clapped, stood to salute the passing troops, and watched a massive fireworks display that concluded the event.
