President Donald Trump reportedly lashed out at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after a military parade meant to showcase American strength struck a lighter tone than he intended, according to a new claim from biographer Michael Wolff.
The parade, held on Saturday in Washington, D.C., marked both the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary and Trump's 79th birthday. Designed to project force and unity, the event coincided with ongoing "No Kings" protests that drew massive nationwide crowds in opposition to Trump's policies.
While the president promoted the parade as a triumph, critics online noted the mismatched marching, low turnout, and overall lack of the imposing spectacle Trump reportedly desired.
During an appearance on The Daily Beast Podcast, Wolff claimed Trump was furious with how the event unfolded. He allegedly blamed soldiers for appearing too cheerful, waving and smiling, and accused them of undercutting the military image he wanted to project.
"He's p***ed off at the soldiers," Wolff said. "He's accusing them of hamming it up, and by that, he seems to mean that they were having a good time, that they were waving, that they were enjoying themselves and showing a convivial face rather than a military face."
Trump is said to have reprimanded Hegseth in a heated phone call, criticizing the event's tone and demanding answers about the parade's execution. Empty seats along the parade route, dreary skies and disjointed formations further fueled the president's dissatisfaction.
"It didn't send the message that he apparently wanted, which is that he was the commander in chief of this menacing enterprise," Wolff added.
The White House denounced Wolff's claims, with communications director Steven Cheung calling him a "lying sack of s***" and accusing him of inventing stories. Trump, meanwhile, has continued to publicly frame the parade as a success.
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