Viral Video of Trump's "Scary" Military Parade Rehearsal Sparks Outrage Online

A video showing rehearsals in Washington, D.C. for the upcoming military parade marking the 250th anniversary of the United States has triggered alarms on social media, with users comparing the footage to scenes from authoritarian regimes like the Nazis, the former Soviet Union, and present-day North Korea.

The event, which also coincides with President Donald Trump's birthday, has brought to the capital a total of 6,500 troops, 150 vehicles and 50 aircraft, which will parade around the National Mall.

The military parade, the first in the nation's capital since 1991, is primarily to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States and Flag Day, which commemorates the day that the flag was adopted, also happens to fall on President Donald Trump's 79th birthday.

President Trump announced the parade in a video uploaded to social media earlier this month, stating, "We will celebrate a spectacular military parade in Washington, D.C., like no other...This parade salutes our soldiers' remarkable strength and unbeatable spirit...Thundering tanks and breathtaking flyovers will roar through our capital city as nearly 7000 soldiers in historic uniforms from every major war since the Revolution join us for this once-in-a-lifetime celebration."

Users on social media reported feeling uneasy watching the video, with many comparing the rehearsal to military parades thrown by other "authoritarian" regimes. "Washington DC looking like Red Square. What an authoritarian embarrassment these people are," wrote X user @RitleySammich. Another user, @crispywike55, wrote "I don't even recognize the country I fought for anymore. This shit is depressing. We look like North Korea, the USSR, nazi Germany."

However, other users had more positive reactions, praising Trump's move to celebrate our military and its victories. "You guys are reading too much into this," wrote user @classycurves27. User @LangmoreRoscoe called the event "Outstanding..." adding that "Army veterans across the country will be tuning in to commemorate the 250 years of this great institution that is larger and more storied than any individual politician or party. America should be proud of her Army, the backbone of our republic and the largest of the armed services."

Set to honor the United States military, a report from the Associated Press reported that veterans were divided over the parade. Vietnam War veteran James McDonough praised the parade as "the American Army still standing straight, walking tall, ready to defend our country." While Iraq War veteran Christopher Purdy called the parade "embarrassing" and "entirely unnecessary." Purdy added that the parade was a "facade" meant to distract from Trump's policies negatively affecting veterans and current troops.