June 14 marks a day of patriotism for multiple reasons, with the conjunction of Flag Day and President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday.
Yet, neither one of those reasons is why an all-day festival filled with music performances, fireworks and a grand parade will take over Washington, D.C. on Saturday. Trump and thousands of soldiers in uniforms will gather together to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army.
“The event is designed not only to showcase the Army’s modern capabilities but also to inspire a new generation to embrace the spirit of service, resilience, and leadership that defines the United States,” according to a May 21 statement on the event organizer’s website. “The parade will trace the Army’s evolution from the Revolutionary War through to the U.S. Army of Tomorrow.”
During his first White House term, Trump intended to hold a military parade to commemorate the centennial of World War I. However, the plan was ultimately scrapped after D.C. officials voiced cost and logistics concerns.
While D.C. celebrates, around 1,800 protests and demonstrations are scheduled across the country as part of the “No Kings Day” movement. Organizers accuse Trump of turning the patriotic celebration into an unofficial birthday party and view the rallies as a way to condemn what critics are calling the president’s recent “authoritarian” actions.
Here’s what to know about the celebration.
What does the parade celebrate?
Although the parade is on the same day as the president’s 79th birthday, event organizers and administration officials say it is solely to celebrate the U.S. Army.
Vince Haley, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, said that Trump is planning a “historic celebration of the Army’s 250th birthday.”
“As one of the first events of the year-long celebration of our 250th anniversary, this commemorative parade will be a fitting tribute to the service, sacrifice, and selflessness of the brave men and women who have worn the uniform and devoted their lives to defending the greatest experiment in liberty known to man,” Haley said, not mentioning the president’s birthday in the statement.
What date is the June 14 parade commemorating?
On June 14, 1775, the Second Continental Congress voted to establish the Continental Army, organizers say, marking the creation of America’s first national military force more than a year before the Declaration of Independence.
Trump is scheduled to deliver remarks celebrating 250 years of the U.S. Army, organizers say, adding that other remarks and numerous celebration events are expected to focus on various achievements and legacies of the branch. However, the Navy, which also celebrates its 250th anniversary in October, has no plans for a similar parade, a spokesperson told USA TODAY, nor does the Marine Corps for its 250th in November.
Why are there protests?
The “No Kings” protests are meant to reclaim the American flag and U.S. patriotism from the Republican Party, as well as to condemn what organizers are calling Trump’s recent “authoritarian” actions.
“Two hundred and fifty years ago, the Continental Army was formed to fight back against a king, and there is an opportunity right now for Americans to come out and say: ‘No, wait, this isn’t what America stands for. We didn’t sign up for this guy to concentrate power in his own hands, to come after the pillars of political democracy,'” Indivisible cofounder and protest organizer Ezra Levin said.
Contributing: Cybele Mayes-Osterman, Tom Vanden Brook and Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Here’s what the June 14 DC military parade is celebrating
