Some spectators exited Saturday's U.S. Army's 250th-anniversary parade early, cutting short their attendance at the milestone celebration in Washington D.C., according to reports.
Why It Matters
The parade represented the largest show of military might in the capital since at least 1991, according to
CNN.
Rallies against President
Donald Trump's leadership
took place across the country on Saturday, coinciding with the parade, which also fell on the president's 79th birthday. "I view it for Flag Day, not necessarily my birthday," he said.
Large-scale gatherings were reported in major cities such as Philadelphia; Los Angeles; Austin, Texas; Portland, Oregon; and New York.
President Donald Trump stands and salutes troops during the celebration of the Army's 250th birthday on the National Mall on June 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. Doug Mills - Pool/Getty Images
What To Know
NBC Washington reported that "a large number of people" made an early exit, with its journalists capturing on video a "logjam" as spectators attempted to leave the secured area. The outlet said that the event's heavy security restricted the Mall's secure zone to two exits.
The New York Times' White House correspondent Shawn McCreesh reported that "hordes of people" streamed east across the mall to leave, a report which Raw Story said was posted before Trump and Vice President
JD Vance had begun to deliver remarks.
"Where's everybody going?" a man next to McCreesh said, according to the reporter.
John Ismay, also with the
Times, described the crowd and parade as "
pretty listless and low-energy," adding that Trump apparel was far more prevalent than Army hats and shirts among attendees.