Military parade in Washington | A country in front of its fractures

In Washington, there will be tanks in the streets, planes in the sky and military brass bands to accompany soldiers parading in front a president who advocates muscular and golden patriotism – and of which it is the birthday.

Throughout the country, they will be demonstrators who will parade in towns and villages, brandishing “No Kings” signs to denounce the autocratic drift of Donald Trump and his contempt for the Constitution.

This day will spread out the deep division that fractures the United States since Mr. Trump’s inauguration. In the background, Los Angeles’ events will whip the two sides: some Americans applaud Mr. Trump’s hard line against what he describes as chaos; Others see it as proof of his increasingly authoritarian impulses.

Donald Trump’s detractors are particularly against his decision to organize this military parade on the day of his birthday, an unequivocal sign of his autocratic inclinations, according to them.

“For the Americans, especially the former soldiers, this parade, it is Trump who flatters his own vanity,” said Democratic representative Jason Crow, a former Captain of the US Rangers and 82^e airborne regiment that served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

A longtime wish

Trump had been talking about a spectacular military parade for years to display American military power, a practice that we see in other countries. June 14 marks the 250^e anniversary of the American army foundation. The fact that June 14 is also 79^e Birthday of Mr. Trump is a coincidence, according to the White House.

According to the former spokesperson for the White House Sean Spicer, a naval officer in the reserve, Trump had the idea of ​​a military parade in 2017 by attending the July 14 parade in Paris. Washington’s that falls on Mr. Trump’s birthday? Pure coincidence, he said.

While sending troops to Los Angeles to counter the demonstrations against the anti-immigration policy of Mr. Trump promises to be a pivotal moment of his second presidency, he is increasingly associated with Saturday events. Trump suggested that a dynamic similar to that observed in California could take place this Saturday.

“People who want to protest will be welcomed with great strength,” said Trump, making no distinction between violent and peaceful demonstrators. “And I haven’t even heard of a demonstration, but you know, these people hate our country. But they will be welcomed with very important strength. »»

“A vulgar show”

In a speech denouncing the intervention of Mr. Trump in his state, the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, described the parade as a sign of the authoritarian drift of the president. “This Saturday, he summons our American heroes, the United States army, and conscripts in a vulgar show celebrating his birthday, like other dictators of the past,” Newsom said on Tuesday.

According to Mike Madrid, a long -standing republican consultant criticizes Trump, the president’s objective is the same in Los Angeles as in the Washington parade: preventing his opponents that he will use the army in a non -orthodox manner. The military parade serves him to “show that he is ready to break the standards with the army”, and the confrontation in California “is part of wire,” he said.

In the opinion of the organizers of the “No Kings” demonstration in Los Angeles, it is necessary and the preparations are going well. The emphasis on non-violence is reiterated in all meetings.

The parade was controversial long before the troubles in Los Angeles. Mr. Trump’s opponents have always denounced him as a sign of his narcissism.

However, all those who support the parade are not Magi (Make America Great Again). The retired general Ty Seidule, who now teaches military history at Hamilton College, says he was skeptical, at the beginning. But he ended up considering it as a rare opportunity to highlight the American army, an organization rich in history and too little appreciated.

“Is it the same day as his birthday?” Yes, but it is also the anniversary of the army, explains Seidule. The brass band will not play Happy birthday. There will be no time Marilyn Monroe, I hope. “According to him,” we can blame a lot of things to the president “, but fixing on his birthday would deprive the country to celebrate that of the army,” what we do not often do in this country “.

New genre patriotism?

The habit of Donald Trump to monopolize patriotic symbols-the American flag, Mount Rushmore and the declaration of independence-while making authoritarian gestures denounced as “anti-Americans” has aroused since his return to power a debate on the sense of patriotism.

His opponents accuse him of idealizing the history of the United States, ignoring his episodes of injustice and racism in favor of a spotless mythical past. The president and his supporters respond that he reacts to the unhealthy obsession with progressives, who, themselves, grow the faults of the country and minimize his greatness.

The confrontation will gain all its magnitude on July 4, 2026, at 250^e anniversary of independence. Trump wants to take advantage of it to promote his vision of patriotism by creating a “garden of American heroes” where their sculptures “for future generations” would be exposed. The choice of these heroes will undoubtedly be the subject of a fierce debate.

In the meantime, it is the parade and the demonstrations of this Saturday which will be in the foreground.

During a recent hearing at the Congress, the Californian Democratic representative Halud Carbajal said that the cost of the parade (from 45 to 50 million US) had no meaning when we make cuts in military programs. “If the congress made a 45 million check for the army,” do you think it would find better use than a parade? ” Asked Mr. Carbajal.

The secretary of the army, Daniel P. Driscoll, replied that celebrating the 250 years of the army will lead to a “recruitment boom” and that this money is therefore well spent. The republican representative of Wisconsin Derrick Van Orden added that “patriotism is priceless”, and that it was worth celebrating “the best army that has ever existed in the history of the planet”.

Antipodes demonstrations

The parade will feature 150 vehicles, dozens of helicopters and planes and 6,700 soldiers, provides for the army. Paratroopers stealing an American flag will give it to Mr. Trump, who will observe the parade of a platform. He will also preside at the enrollment ceremony of 250 soldiers. Fireworks, military demonstrations and a country music show will end the day on Saturday.

The same day, groups like the indivisible non -profit movement, the American teaching and black voters Matter federation plan to bring together thousands of demonstrators for national “No Kings” in 2,000 places.

“Trump tries to establish that this country belongs to him, that he is the sovereign,” said Ezra Levin, an indivisible co -founder, who perceives the military parade as an attempt to erase any separation between Donald Trump and the power of the American government.

On June 6, thousands of veterans mobilized against the discounts proposed by Mr. Trump in the Veterans Department.

According to the elected democrat Jason Crow, former captain in the army, many veterans will be demonstrations this Saturday. He adds that the soldiers conscripted in the parade are dissatisfied, given the unpopularity of the parades among the troops.

“During my three combat periods, we were focused on combat training, physical form and improve for our missions. In our free time, we wanted to be with our families. I guarantee you that these 6000 soldiers who prepare to parade would prefer to do something else, ”he argues.

This article was published in the Washington Post.

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