Trump’s military parade and the ‘No Kings’ protests: Everything you need to know about this Saturday

It will be a weekend of contrasts. This Saturday, a parade will be held in honor of the 250th anniversary of the United States Army, which falls on the same day as President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday. At the same time, people across the country are planning various protests against the Republican president and his immigration policy. These demonstrations, under the name “No Kings,” could face repression, as has happened in recent days in California, where the National Guard has been deployed and hundreds of arrests have been made.

On his social media platform Truth, the president said of the Army’s 250th anniversary: “We will celebrate with a spectacular military parade in Washington, D.C., like no other.” He also claimed that it would be bigger and better than any other parade ever seen on American soil. In fact, the U.S. Secret Service has designated it as a “special national security event,” similar to a presidential inauguration, which requires special resources. According to the Army, the cost of the event will be between $25 million and $45 million.

On the other hand, there are at least 2,000 protests planned against the Trump administration’s policies. Saturday has been called “No Kings Day of Defiance,” and its intention — according to the organizers — is to “honor civil liberties for all” and protest against deportations, U.S. actions in Gaza and support for Israel, mass layoffs of federal employees, and cuts to government departments such as USAID.

Here’s what to expect this Saturday:

What time does the military parade start?

The military parade will take place on June 14 and will begin at 6:30 pm local time. The event is just one of several that will happen throughout the day from 8:30 am to 10:00 pm.

Parade schedule

The celebrations will begin with a traditional ceremony in which senior Army leaders lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. An athletic competition will follow, and then a festival will be held at the National Mall from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. The day will end with a fireworks display over the Tidal Basin.

The Army has announced that the parade will feature 6,700 soldiers, tanks, armored vehicles, rocket launchers, precision-guided missiles, and a flyover of 50 aircraft from different eras. The procession includes Abrams tanks, Bradley and Stryker vehicles, Paladin howitzers, helicopters, World War II aircraft such as the P-51 Mustang and C-47, and even a Sherman tank. Marching bands, horses, mules, and a dog named Doc Holiday will also participate.

What route will the parade take?

The parade will take place on Constitution Avenue in D.C., from 23rd Street to 15th Street, and will end near the White House. Upon arrival, a group of paratroopers with the Army’s Golden Knights will jump over the Ellipse to present the president with a folded flag.

Some 200,000 people are expected to attend the parade and the festival, which will be open to the public.

Protests against Trump

The “No Kings” protests were organized by the 50501 Movement (“50 States, 50 Protests, One Movement”), which consists of people who seek to defend democracy and who are against what they consider to be the authoritarianism of the Trump administration.

According to the movement, more than 2,000 protests will take place across the country, in its territories, and even in other countries. On its official website, there is a map showing all the locations where people will gather to demonstrate, and their mission statement, which reads as follows: “No Kings is a day of national rebellion. From city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, we are taking action to reject authoritarianism and show the world what democracy really looks like.”

They also refer to Flag Day, which is that same Saturday: “The flag does not belong to President Trump. It belongs to us. We are not watching history happen. We are creating it. On June 14, we will be everywhere he is not, to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings.”

Although the demonstrations are expected to be peaceful, some authorities have threatened those seeking to protest. In Florida, Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said, “If you throw a brick, a firebomb, or point a gun at one of our deputies, we will be notifying your family where to collect your remains at. Because we will kill you graveyard dead.” For his part, Governor Ron DeSantis addressed those who would not protest and suggested that they could run over protesters if they feared for their safety.

In Texas, Governor Greg Abbot has called on the state’s National Guard to be present during the protests. In Missouri, Governor Mike Kehoe said he would activate the National Guard, but said they would only be deployed if local authorities needed assistance.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he could deploy National Guard troops to other states beyond California “if necessary.” “Thankfully, in most of those states you have a governor that recognizes the need for (the National Guard), supports it, mobilizes it for himself or herself,” he said. “In California, unfortunately, the governor (Gavin Newsom) wants to play politics with it.” Newsom has sued Trump for deploying the National Guard during the protests that have rocked the city of Los Angeles over the past week and spread to the rest of the country.