President Donald Trump’s much-hyped birthday parade flopped, and the internet wasted no time pointing out the less-than-impressive turnout.
After bragging about a grand military spectacle to mark the Army’s 250th anniversary (and coincidentally, his 79th birthday), Trump’s weekend event drew a crowd that was more a whisper than a roar. Photos quickly spread across social media showing empty bleachers, sparse sidewalks, and bemused tourists and D.C. residents.
Although the White House insisted that 250K people attended the military parade, independent reporters and eyewitnesses painted a different picture. While no actual crowd numbers have been released, the wide, empty spaces where they expected seats to be filled tell their own story. Once again, Trump found himself mocked for inflating crowd sizes, a sore spot since his first inauguration.
"200,000 people were dressed as empty aluminum benches," wrote @SundaeDivine
"The #Army250 parade starting 30 minutes early due to incoming weather. Crowd nowhere near the 200,000 expected," tweeted reporter Mark Segraves from NBC 4.
Meanwhile, millions of protesters took to the streets for No Kings Day
While Trump tried to command the spotlight, the real national movement was happening in cities all across America. The No Kings Day protests, organized by the 50501 movement, saw anywhere from 5 to 11 million people turn out in defiance of authoritarianism, corruption, and political vanity projects. These numbers were reported by members of the Alt National Park Service coalition as the protests were happening. The more conservative estimate of 5 million is being reported by popular news sources.
The 50501 movement posted on BlueSky, "This is a turning point. This is the line we draw. This is the moment history will remember — when millions stood together to say NO to Trump, Vance, Vought, Theil, and all the corrupt cronies and cult."
The protests were purposely timed to coincide with Trump’s parade, making the contrast even more glaring. Massive crowds filled streets from coast to coast, carrying protest signs that read "America Has No Kings" and "Hate does not make America great." The tone remained largely peaceful, but the message was undeniably powerful.
Not only did these protests dwarf Trump’s birthday-parade-turned-political-flop, but they also reignited discussions around civic engagement and the importance of collective voice in shaping democracy.
The internet reacts to President Trump's sparsely attended birthday parade
The internet didn’t hold back. Many users drew parallels to past Trump crowd-size controversies, including his infamous inauguration turnout. Online, folks gleefully shared memes and side-by-side comparisons with previous parades and rallies. Others noted that the lackluster showing didn’t exactly scream "military might." Multiple people joked that the whole parade could have been an email.
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"how is every new video I see of this parade more embarrassing than the last"—@BMeiselas
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"Don’t worry. Trump will fix the crowd size tomorrow. With a sharpie."—@EastEndJoe
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