U.S. Officials Fear ‘Tiananmen Square Moment’ at Trump’s Military Parade
U.S. officials are concerned about “a potential Tiananmen Square moment” at President Donald Trump’s military parade on the same day that anti-Trump protests are planned nationwide, according to one New York Times journalist.
Scheduled for Saturday in Washington, D.C., the 250th Army anniversary celebration is set to feature over 7,000 troops, tanks rolling through the streets of the capital, and fighter jet flyovers — all while protests erupt across 1,500 cities, organized by grassroots political movement “No Kings.”
The Army estimates the event could cost up to $45 million, including millions in street repairs to accommodate heavy armor. Trump, whose 79th birthday falls on the same day, has promised a parade “like no other.”
While the White House insists the event is a tribute to the armed forces, it follows stark escalations in Los Angeles following the president’s deployment of National Guard and Marines to support police trying to contain anti-ICE protests, which are entering their second week.
Speaking to Michael Barbaro, host of New York Times’ The Daily podcast, the outlet’s Pentagon correspondent Helene Cooper warned that many officials were anxious.
“There’s a very real possibility of the president now presiding over this parade Saturday night, showcasing the US military’s most fearsome weapons and most fearsome soldiers,” Barbaro said. “And the message in that context, in the context of what’s going on in LA, may feel more intended or as intended for a domestic audience than as impressing or intimidating our foreign adversaries.”
Cooper replied: “They’re very worried about that, and especially in the former uniform world where these are retired army officials, retired Marine generals, I’ve been on the phone with. They’re really worried about this image.”
She continued: “They are also worried about a potential Tiananmen Square moment where you have a protester standing in front of a tank. That is not what America is supposed to look like. And this is another one of those potential scary things that we could see on Saturday.”
“That’s a very potent image,” the host said, stunned.
“It is,” Cooper responded. “But you know, at the end of the day, it all may depend on where you sit.”
She continued to observe that supporters of the president “see the protests in LA as thugs wrecking property” and may be “perfectly fine with deploying federal troops there.” She added that MAGA supporters might, then, “sit back and enjoy the image of the military” they are proud of.
Also, she warned, there are “people who have been intimidated by this administration.”
Citing her sources from Trump’s first term, she added: “The biggest problem with this, according to the military leaders… is this risks bringing the military into the middle of partisan politics. You want an American military that all Americans feel is part of them. You do not want a military that is a Trump military or MAGA military, or democratic military or Biden military. You want a military that American people feel is a non-political institution.”
Listen above via The Daily.
