President Trump reportedly issued a stark warning from the Oval Office on Tuesday, declaring that any protesters disrupting his upcoming military parade in Washington, scheduled to coincide with the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary and his 79th birthday, “will be met with very big force.”
The event, planned for Saturday along the National Mall, will feature tanks from World War I and II, helicopters, marching bands, horses, and jets flying overhead — a spectacle Mr. Trump hailed as “incredible.”
But even before it begins, he has escalated tensions by characterizing potential demonstrators as individuals who “hate our country,” though he acknowledged no specific protest groups had yet been identified.
With at least nine protest permits issued and demonstrations planned under the banner “No Kings,” law enforcement agencies—including the Secret Service, Metropolitan Police, FBI, and thousands of National Guard members—are mobilizing to secure the event.
Secret Service officials emphasized their readiness: lawful protesters may assemble, but any unlawful violence will prompt a forceful response.
Mr. Trump’s warning mirrors his recent controversial deployment of forces in Los Angeles, where ICE raids triggered violent demonstrations.
He defended sending approximately 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to restore order, dismissing state objections and prompting lawsuits from California officials, who described the action as unconstitutional and “un-American.”
Mr. Trump has argued that such deployments are necessary to protect public safety.
Domestically, some political observers expressed concern. Activists and legal analysts warned that the aggressive rhetoric could chill lawful expression and set dangerous precedents, noting the thin line between crowd control and suppression of dissent.
Supporters counter that Mr. Trump is simply ensuring security for a high-profile national event against potential threats.
The planned deployment to Washington is the latest instance in which the president has invoked military resources amid civil unrest.
His tweet hinting at the potential invocation of the Insurrection Act—first used in the 19th century, and later during the civil rights era—added to the unease.
As the parade approaches, protesters in cities nationwide are organizing under shared themes of resistance to executive overreach.
Though the White House insists the operation will enforce order, critics view the show of force as politically charged, synchronized with Mr. Trump’s message of strength.
With law enforcement stretched and political tensions high, the parade may test the balance between First Amendment rights and state power.
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