The 250th anniversary of the United States Army brought out the best and worst from U.S. politicians, some of whom were thankful for the event while others condemned it.
The day-long celebration culminated with a parade down Constitution Ave. NW in Washington, D.C., showing off Army personnel, tanks, armored vehicles, and historical equipment.
‘Today should be about them. Not Donald Trump.’
Supporters lined the streets as U.S. Army servicemen and women waved and saluted President Donald Trump; the parade lasted about 90 minutes.
During the event, politicians and commentators showed their best (and worst) colors.
“Today’s events in Washington, D.C. are an incredible opportunity to showcase the strength, discipline, and teamwork of our military,” Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia wrote on X. Greene also participated in workouts in D.C. with armed forces members earlier in the day.
Retired Army Captain Sam Brown, in a message posted to his X page, called the parade “a tribute to the history and tradition of the greatest fighting Army in the world.”
Conservative commentator Benny Johnson was excited for the parade, showcasing a photo of the stage that hosted the president.
“Holy smokes. The setup for President Trump’s speech at the Army’s 250th Anniversary parade is so badass,” Johnson wrote on X.
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Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman (D) quoted an Army post on X and put politics aside to state that the parade represented the “very best of us” and should be celebrated “regardless of your politics,”
At the same time, however, politicians like California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) attacked the parade as something that is done by weak world leaders.
The governor called the parade “an embarrassment” and a “vulgar display of weakness” that is typically meant for dictators. Newsom then claimed the parade was actually demanded by Trump to celebrate his birthday, which fell on the same day.
“Today should be about them,” Newsom said, referring to members of the Army. “Not Donald Trump.”
Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren (D) chose to celebrate the day by praising left-wing protests against the deportation of illegal immigrants.
“Today, I stand with the millions of Americans making clear this country doesn’t belong to a king,” Warren wrote on X.
Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and New York Senator Chuck Schumer (D) both attended the anti-immigration enforcement protests on the Army’s anniversary.
Sanders said on his X page that he and others were standing up and “saying NO to the authoritarianism,” while Schumer simply posed for a photo with protesters with the caption, “No kings in America.”
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Blaze News reached out to former service members to gauge their reaction to the military parade and whether it should be seen as an unnecessary display.
“It’s technically a birthday party, and the Army celebrates with parades for everything. I don’t see anything wrong with it,” Matt Harley, a former Army combat engineer, told Blaze News.
“I don’t see why there would be any problem with a military parade, considering the amount of Pride parades there are,” a former member of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps told Blaze News. “June should probably just be military month instead,” he added.
The parade also featured live music and honored countless generations of fabled Army units, including the 101st Airborne Division. The division is one of the most storied units in history, and its efforts in World War II served as the inspiration for the hit series “Band of Brothers” and the movie “Saving Private Ryan.”
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