They showed up to honor the US Army. Some were dressed head-to-toe in Trump merch to support the man they’d voted for. Others came to protest what they saw as too much spectacle and expense (reportedly as much as $45 million) for a military parade that just happened to be on the president’s 79th birthday. The crowds were smaller than anticipated, but emotions still ran high. In at least one instance, those emotions seemed to result in a physical altercation.
The festival held on the National Mall on June 14 was meant as a celebration of the Army’s history and might—not just its weaponry but the physical prowess of its men and women in uniform, which was tested during a fitness competition. The rain held off and the parade went on, even kicking off a bit early to beat the storms. The entire day provided split-screen views of the country’s political divide—with images of tanks and robotic dogs marching in downtown DC, and No Kings protests filling American towns and cities.
From the festival to the parade to some conflict, here is what our photographer captured.
Sherri Dalphonse joined Washingtonian in 1986 as an editorial intern, and worked her way to the top of the masthead when she was named editor-in-chief in 2022. She oversees the magazine’s editorial staff, and guides the magazine’s stories and direction. She lives in DC.
