On Tuesday, President Donald Trump issued a stern warning regarding potential protests at his upcoming military parade in Washington, D.C., stating that they would be met with “heavy force.”
During a statement at the White House, Trump highlighted the significance of the parade, set to commemorate the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary. “We’re going to be celebrating big on Saturday,” he remarked.
Trump emphasized his message about protests by repeating his declaration: “if there’s any protester that wants to come out, they will be met with very big force.” He further claimed, “I haven’t even heard about a protest, but you know, this is people that hate our country, but they will be met with very heavy force.”
In a briefing on Monday, security officials, including representatives from the U.S. Secret Service, indicated they were monitoring approximately nine planned protests associated with the parade, which coincides with Trump’s 79th birthday. Officials anticipated that the number of protesters would be dwarfed by the number of attendees at the event.
The forthcoming parade has faced significant backlash from lawmakers across party lines, with some Republicans questioning the event’s substantial cost and its implications.
An Army spokesperson revealed that costs for the parade could reach up to $45 million. Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) voiced his concerns on Tuesday, suggesting that the parade sends a troubling message, as reported by NBC News.
“I wouldn’t have done it,” Paul stated. “I’m not sure what the actual expense of it is, but … we were always different than, you know, the images you saw in the Soviet Union and North Korea.” He added, “We were proud not to be that.”
Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) also expressed reluctance to fund the parade, stating he would not choose to “spend the money” if it were his decision.
Trump’s warning about protests follows his recent decision to deploy 4,000 National Guard troops and approximately 700 Marines to Los Angeles amid protests centered on federal immigration enforcement activities. The deployments have sparked strong opposition from Democratic leaders in the state, including Governor Gavin Newsom and organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union, who have actively challenged Trump’s actions.
On Monday, Newsom filed a lawsuit against Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, seeking to halt the deployments. According to a Pentagon official, the mobilization of troops in California will incur costs of around $134 million, as disclosed to a House subcommittee on Tuesday.
