President Trump issued a stern warning on Tuesday to anyone planning to protest this weekend’s military parade in Washington, D.C., saying they would be met with what he called “very big force.” Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump doubled down on his position, repeating, “For those people that want to protest, they will be met with very big force. And I haven’t even heard about a protest.”
The parade, scheduled for Saturday, marks the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army and is set to feature tanks, flyovers, and various military displays. Trump is expected to deliver remarks during the event, which also happens to fall on his 79th birthday.
While large-scale demonstrations are expected across the country to protest what critics see as Trump’s authoritarian tendencies, organizers of the “No Kings” movement say they have no official event planned in Washington, D.C., though other counter-demonstrations in the city are still expected.
Trump’s warning comes on the heels of his administration’s controversial military deployment to Los Angeles, where 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 active-duty Marines have been mobilized to respond to ongoing unrest over immigration raids. The Pentagon estimated the cost of the operation at around $134 million.
State and local officials in California have pushed back against the move, calling it an unnecessary escalation. Meanwhile, Trump and Republican allies have pointed to incidents of violence including burning vehicles and projectiles thrown at law enforcement as justification for the aggressive response.
Democrats have condemned the violence but defended the right to protest. Former Vice President Kamala Harris issued a statement emphasizing the importance of peaceful demonstrations, saying, “Protest is a powerful tool essential in the fight for justice. I continue to support the millions of Americans who are standing up to protect our most fundamental rights and freedoms.”
As tensions rise ahead of the weekend’s events, Trump’s comments signal a zero-tolerance stance for any disruption, even as critics accuse him of stoking division through military theatrics and inflammatory rhetoric.