On June 14, the U.S. Army commemorated its 250th anniversary with a military parade that featured about 6,600 troops.
However, social media quickly erupted with claims that the U.S. Army had given a silent “f**k you” to President Donald Trump, thanks to one glaring detail spotted during the parade that weekend.
On the 14th, members of the military marched through Washington D.C. to celebrate the Army’s milestone. The 78-year-old president attended the event alongside his wife, Melania, other officials, and military leaders. The parade, which was reportedly estimated to cost around $45 million, was a major spectacle, according to Reuters.
During the ceremony, Trump said, “Tonight, we affirm with unwavering certainty that in the years ahead, and in every generation hence, whenever duty calls and whatever danger comes, the American Soldier will be there.”
The parade marked the first of its kind in the U.S. since 1991, with over 6,600 soldiers, robot dogs, and tanks marching down Constitution Avenue.
However, many people were far from impressed, and social media users began questioning whether the soldiers had purposely chosen not to give their full effort. Videos began circulating showing the troops marching in a way that appeared “sloppy” and poorly coordinated in front of a rather sparse crowd.
One X user posted a clip of the parade with a sharp critique: “I’ve participated in more military parades than I care to remember, and probably watched dozens more. This is hands down the worst and most disorganized marching I’ve ever seen in a formal military parade. It feels like a big ‘f**k you’ to Trump from the soldiers.”
Another user chimed in: “Why do they look so relaxed? Is this normal for a military parade?”
“I think it’s code for ‘We hate this motherf**king president’,” a third person stated, while a fourth speculated: “Our troops are highly trained and capable. The only explanation for this is that they’re sending a message to Trump.”
A fifth person added, “They looked like they didn’t even want to be there.”
“Good for them!” praised another user, as one more remarked: “The formation was a mess. The energy? Nonexistent. The message? Loud and clear: They’re not marching for Trump. They’re enduring him. This wasn’t patriotism. It was protest in uniform.”
In a statement, the White House claimed that «over 250,000 patriots showed up to celebrate the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary.» However, The Independent pointed out that external estimates and empty bleachers suggested the crowd was much smaller than expected.
In his speech, Trump thanked the armed forces for their service and called the U.S. «the hottest country in the world right now.»
It’s worth noting that Trump received multiple draft deferments during the Vietnam War. He was granted five deferments — one for bad feet and four more to attend college. By the age of 22, he had managed to avoid the draft four times to complete his education at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1968, the year he was set to graduate, he received a medical diagnosis that would provide him with a fifth deferment to keep him out of the Vietnam War, which saw over 58,000 U.S. military casualties.
Trump was diagnosed with bone spurs in his feet, a condition described by the NHS as «bony lumps that grow on the bones,» rendering him medically unfit for service.
