Trump Warns Heavy Force Against Protests at Washington Military Parade

President Donald Trump has warned that any protesters at the military parade in Washington, D.C., scheduled for June 14 to celebrate the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary and his 79th birthday, will be met with "very heavy force." Despite the legality of protests in the U.S., Trump emphasized a zero-tolerance approach, describing potential protesters as people who "hate our country." The parade will showcase tanks, planes, and other military equipment, and Trump highlighted the significance of the event as a celebration of U.S. military victories, including World War I and II. While no major protests are planned directly at the parade, several counter-demonstrations are expected nationwide, organized by groups opposing what they see as creeping authoritarianism. This warning comes amid the administration's deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles to control protests against immigration raids, a move criticized by some local officials and Democrats. Former Vice President Kamala Harris and others have defended peaceful protest as essential, even as the administration stresses maintaining order.