Trump Praises U.S. Army After DC Parade Marks 250th Anniversary
President Donald Trump celebrated the US Army on its 250th birthday, praising the military branch after a grand display of the service branch’s history and equipment during a parade in Washington, D.C.
“The Army keeps us free, you make us strong, and tonight, you have made all Americans very proud,” Trump told soldiers during the event, per CNN.
Trump has expressed a strong desire for a major military parade since he attended the Bastille Day parade in Paris in 2017. During his first term, top officials hesitated to move forward due to concerns about the expense and public perception of such an event. However, his second term provides a chance to celebrate the Army’s 250th anniversary, which coincides with Trump’s 79th birthday.
“Every other country celebrates their victories — it’s about time America did, too,” the president said, touting the “magnificent display” of tanks, troops, and aerial flyovers.
Trump also expressed condolences and thanks to American veterans and those killed in battle: “We love you, we honor you, and we salute your noble service to our flag and to our country.”
The U.S. Army, he said, “has driven bayonets into the heart of sinister empires, crushed the ambitions of evil tyrants beneath the threads of American tanks. It’s done so well, it’s done so much, and sent the devil himself flying into full retreat.”
He offered a stark message amid a time of conflict across the globe, as well, per CNN.
“Time and again, America’s enemies have learned that if you threaten the American people, our soldiers are coming for you, your defeat will be certain, your demise will be final, and your downfall will be total and complete,” he said.
During the parade celebrations, Trump and first lady Melania Trump were presented with a folded flag that had flown over the Capitol and later enjoyed a live performance of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA.”
Earlier this month, Trump also commemorated the D-Day invasion of France to liberate Europe from the clutches of Nazi Germany. The invasion took place on June 6, 1944, and became the largest of its kind in the history of the world:
In the pre-dawn hours of June 6, 1944, American and Allied forces stormed a 50-mile stretch of beach in Normandy, France, winning a crucial victory that turned the tide of World War II and changed the course of history. The largest amphibious invasion in history—Operation Overlord—was achieved through meticulous planning, utilizing 13,000 aircraft and gliders, 23,400 paratroopers, 5,000 ships and landing craft, and roughly 160,000 American, British, and Canadian troops. By nightfall, the valiance and intrepidity of the Allied soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and merchant mariners had carried the day, establishing beachheads on all five of the landing beaches – Omaha, Utah, Sword, Gold, and Juno. This victory, though, was achieved at great cost. More than 9,000 Allied service members were killed or wounded that day, to ensure that freedom would once again prevail over the European continent.
On the 81st anniversary of D-day, we pause to pay homage to the warfighters whose indescribable valor, fierce determination, and unwavering patriotism delivered this pivotal victory for the global cause of freedom. The monumental victory forged on land, at sea, and in the skies of Normandy led to the liberation of Europe, the defeat of the evil Nazi regime, and the preservation of democracy. We are grateful for those young men who answered their nations’ calls and faced the carnage of war in order to defeat tyranny—and we are eternally indebted to the souls who gave their lives in this noble struggle. It is our solemn obligation to remember their heroic stories, honor their sacrifices, and ensure that the freedom for which they died for may never again be in peril.
