During a press conference at the Oval Office Tuesday, President Donald Trump casually threatened Americans’ First Amendment right to free speech as he took aim at potential protests against his June 14 military parade in Washington, D.C.
“We’re celebrating big on Saturday. We're going to have a lot of—and if there's any protest that wants to come out, they will be met with very big force, by the way. For those people that want to protest, they're going to be met with very big force. And I haven't even heard about a protest. But, you know, this is ah, people that hate our country. But they will be met with very heavy force,” he told reporters.
The parade, which conveniently falls on Trump’s birthday, will include military tanks that will likely chew up the streets of D.C. at an exorbitant cost to taxpayers.
Trump’s desire for a dictator-style military display dates back to his first term, when his planned parade was scrapped after estimated costs ballooned to $92 million. The following year, he diverted $2.5 million from the National Park Service to help pay for a July 4 military parade.
This year’s event is shaping up to be a high-priced and terrifying spectacle, with premium seating offered to the wealthiest Trump donors who are eager to sit near the alleged draft-dodging president.
Like all ego-driven spectacles of military might, Trump’s latest display of authoritarianism is only as strong as his fragile sense of self-worth.
With ongoing national protests against the Trump administration’s unconstitutional immigration raids planned to coincide with his parade, it might not take long for him to slide back into his generally miserable state of grievance.
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