The parade that Trump dreamed

(Washington) on a day marked by violence and political challenge, combat tanks M1 Abrams rolled Saturday on Constitution Avenue, a Washington artery named in honor of a document that Donald Trump’s criticisms, gathered the same day in many American cities, criticized him for trampling.

There are obviously many spectators along the avenue to rejoice at the sight of these “tanks”, which followed or preceded other samples of American military power, including howlery, Bradley combat and missiles, as well as thousands of soldiers put on the various uniforms adopted over the eras by the army founded by George Washington 250 years earlier, day.

All this while fighting planes, helicopters and paratroopers striped a threatening or descended sky.

“I’m proud!” “Launched William Rudd, a 76 -year -old army veteran from North Carolina, seeing the combat tanks M1 Abrams.

I am proud of everything we have here, the White House and the President. It’s part of the story. We no longer teach the story, nowadays, except the parties on slavery.

William Rudd

It was the parade that Donald Trump dreamed since 2017 since 2017, but that generals had advised him not to organize during his first mandate by telling him that only the dictators made this kind of demonstration of force. The 250^e anniversary of the American army, which coincided with its 79^e Anniversary, gave him the pretext of realizing this dream and giving Washington what he had not seen for decades: a military parade.

“All the other countries celebrate their victories,” said the president at the end of the parade during a brief speech. “It is time for America to do it too,” he added after saying that the United States is “the hottest country” at present.

Violence and Political Contestation

But this parade was darkened by “an act of political violence”, to use the words used by the Democratic Governor of Minnesota Tim Walz to describe the attack which killed a elected democrat of her state on Saturday morning and injured another.

Several hours before taking place in the rostrum of honor drawn up along Constitution Avenue with his wife Melania and several members of his administration, the president described the attack on “terrible” on Truth Social.

“As horrible violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America,” he added.

The parade also helped to mobilize the opponents of Donald Trump, who participated in large numbers in the 2,000 rallies organized under the banner “no kings”. Imposing crowds have notably descended into the streets of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and Philadelphia to protest against the president and his policies deemed unconstitutional or authoritarian.

In Washington, where the city center was closed to traffic and completed by high fences, the anti-Trump demonstrators left almost the place for supporters of the president or admirers of the army.

These were still less numerous than expected along the parade course or in the National Mall, where giant screens allowed sparse crowds not to miss anything.

The parade started 30 minutes earlier than expected due to a threat of thunderstorms. It was followed by fireworks and a concert.

The violence and political challenge of the day did not seem to reach the spectators of the parade.

“Being proud of America again”

“We celebrate the army and we celebrate America,” said Christine Heinz, who had moved from Nashville to attend the parade with her 17 -year -old daughter.

“It feels good to be proud of America again. We have lost this in recent years and I have the impression that it finally comes back, “added the one who earns her life as a buyer in the retail sector.

Cecil Anderson, a retired lieutenant-colonel, did not want to hear anything from the politicization of the army of which Donald Trump is accused. Politicization which would be reflected not only by the decision of the president to organize a military parade, but also to deploy nearly 5,000 members of the National Guard and the Marines in Los Angeles and to hold a partisan speech in Fort Bragg, as he did last Tuesday.

“Trump is a different leader,” said the army veteran domiciled in Virginia Beach.

(Trump) will not appeal to everyone. You have to do with it. But we are here to celebrate the 250 years of the army. And I am here to celebrate my 22 years in the army. I can’t wait to see the tanks in which I served in Iraq scroll through. I may have flashbacks.

Cecil Anderson

The blogger and host of a Balado program known as Soup mama Nor did Donald Trump criticize for having deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles without the consent of the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom.

“I believe firmly in our first amendment,” she said during the parade. “I have no problem with people who have a different opinion from mine. But I have a problem when you start destroying things, hitting people, burning vehicles and scaring people who live in these communities. It is not acceptable. »»