President Donald Trump hosts the military's largest parade in decades in Washington DC, marking 250 years of the US Army
The Republican president says America is the "hottest country in the world" and will "soon be greater and stronger than ever before"
The parade - which fell on Trump's 79th birthday - involved nearly 7,000 soldiers, flyovers and fireworks
Thousands attended the parade in the nation's capital, although rain seemed to dampen turnout
Anti-Trump groups staged hundreds of demonstrations across the country to coincide with the parade
The "No Kings" protests from Los Angeles to Boston were the largest against the president since he was re-elected
Some protests in Minnesota were called off after the assassination of a Democratic lawmaker, which the state's governor said was politically motivated
President Trump administers the Oath of Enlistment to new soldiers
Trump is now administering the oath of enlistment for 250 of the latest Americans to sign up for the US Army. Some of the soldiers are reenlisting.
The US has struggled in the past to recruit young men and women across the country. But the army says it has surpassed its 2025 recruitment goal four months early.
Image source, EPAProtesters near the White House
Earlier today in Washington, a march organised by RefuseFascism.org made its way to the White House. The group says 1,000 people participated, some holding signs that said "Trump Must Go Now".
Speakers, including a military veteran and a trans activist addressed the crowd at a rally in the neighbourhood of Logan Circle beforehand.
Some of the speakers denounced immigration raids and the use of the military in Los Angeles.
The organisation called for people to come to Washington on 1-4 July to declare independence from fascism.
Nomia Iqbal
Reporting from Washington DC
Image source, Getty ImagesAmerica is used to showing off its military might abroad, but rarely like this on American streets.
More than 100 military vehicles and thousands of soldiers are taking part as tanks roll down Constitution Avenue behind the White House. Black Hawk and Apache helicopters circle overhead as well as Second World War- and Vietnam-era planes.
President Trump has long wanted this display, which comes on his 79th birthday. He sees his command of the military as a sign of his strength. He’s flexing that strength on both coasts of the country right now, sending in the military to LA following violent immigration protests - and against the governor's wishes.
Organisers had expected up to 200,000 people, but so far only a few thousand have turned up as heavy rain is forecast for the capital.
The military display comes as crowds protest around the country today, denouncing what some demonstrators describe as Trump’s authoritarian policies.
While many of Trump's White House cabinet officials are in the stand alongside the president, some Republican and Democratic lawmakers have said the superpower should not be holding this event, while others have hit out at the cost.
Up to $45m (£33.2m) has been poured into this display - with more potentially needed to fix the city's streets, which could face damage from the tanks.
Image source, BBC NewsBarbara Starr
The image of US soldiers marching down the streets of Washington DC in celebration is juxtaposed with the image of troops deployed on the streets of Los Angeles this week, security expert Barbara Starr tells the BBC.
"Because of that polarisation right now over this immigration debate and the use of troops in uniforms carrying weapons, I think it does overhang this parade in a way that was perhaps not originally envisioned by the army," says Starr, a journalist who previously covered the Pentagon and is now a senior fellow at the University of Southern California's Center on Communication Leadership and Policy.
"And the army is perhaps not in complete political control of its own agenda."
She adds the army is meant to be apolitical and nonpartisan.
"But right now we're at this point where even when President Trump several days ago went to Fort Bragg to visit the troops, the troops took on a very partisan tone. They were jeering former President Biden," Starr says.
"They were able to, right on base, purchase political memorabilia. We haven't seen that before."
Image source, AFP via Getty ImagesTrump has been standing to salute as members of the US Army parade past his viewing stage either on foot or in the army's array of tanks and vehicles.
As president, Trump is the commander-in-chief of the US Armed Forces.
He will give a speech towards the end of the parade.
Image source, /AFP via Getty ImagesRegan Morris
Reporting from Los Angeles
Image source, Regan Morris / BBC NewsDowntown Los Angeles
As the parade goes on in Washington, protests are still continuing throughout the country.
We reported earlier how National Guard troops are being jeered at here at an anti-Trump protest in Los Angeles - and that’s still true. But after standing near them for the last 40 minutes, I'm now seeing the majority of people are thanking them and saying hello.
We are near City Hall and the crowd is thinning out, but there are still thousands of people down here waving flags and signs and chanting - even though the protest was due to end more than an hour ago.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe last US military parade was held by President George HW Bush in June 1991, celebrating the US-led victory in the Gulf War.
A crowd of 200,000 people attended the parade to cheer on veterans, peaking at 800,000 who watched the fireworks display, the LA times reported at the time.
The military parade is estimated to cost between $25m and $45m (£18.4m to £33.2m), an Army spokesperson told the BBC’s US partner CBS News.
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement that the cost will be "shared by the Department of the Army and the US Semiquincentennial Commission*."
When asked about how much it would cost, President Trump told NBC it would be "peanuts compared to the value of doing it.”
"Thankfully, unlike the previous administration, we've got a 13% increase in our defence budget," Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told a congressional committee hearing on Tuesday.
*The Semiquincentennial Commission is the committee organising the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence next year
US President Donald Trump watches the procession of soldiers march past his viewpoint of the parade on Constitution Avenue as he celebrates his 79th birthday - and the US Army celebrates its 250th.
Image source, EPA
Image source, Getty Images
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from Washington DC
Here on the parade route, the Abrams tanks appear to be a fan favourite and elicited more cheers and waves that the various units that preceded them - with the possible exception of the Vietnam-era Huey helicopters.
The soldiers appear to be enjoying it as well, and those able - if riding on vehicles - are waving to the crowds and smiling.
There are "USA, USA" chants here and there and brief moments of applause, but the crowd is surprisingly muted.
The crowd here appears to be smaller than anticipated. Across Constitution Avenue from the press area, there is a set of largely empty bleachers for special guests and their families.
We can bring you more photos from the parade as tanks and soldiers march on Constitution Avenue and in front of the viewing stands holding President Trump and other officials.
Image source, Getty ImagesUS President Donald Trump and guests watch as members of the US Army parade down Constitution Avenue
Image source, Getty ImagesMembers of the U.S Army in period-specific uniforms participate in the 250th birthday parade
Image source, AFP via Getty ImagesUS soldiers march during 250th Army parade
Image source, Bloomberg via Getty ImagesMembers of the military in historic uniforms march during the US Army's 250th Anniversary Parade
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from Washington DC
I covered the Trump 2024 campaign at length - and this event, while officially a celebration of the Army, has very much the same atmosphere as a Trump rally.
For every Army hat, there is a red MAGA hat. Trump memorabilia is being sold alongside Army memorabilia - and the vendors are doing brisk business.
Many interviews I've done have turned into extended discussions of support for Trump.
"Trump is the greatest president ever, and the troops love him," said John Mills, a 33-year veteran of the Army. "We've had totally indoctrinated leaders with mush for brains in the past. Basically the Deep State."
"There are a lot of people around, in this city, who don't like Trump," he added. "That's their problem. We are here to celebrate."
Image source, Bernd Debusmann Jr / BBC News
Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu
Reporting from Washington DC
Image source, AFP via Getty ImagesPerhaps the most pressing concern for local officials and residents from the military parade is the potential for road damage.
The army says it has budgeted about $16m (£11m) for damage to local roads caused by heavy tanks rolling down a section of DC’s ceremonial core. It also says it has put in measures to minimise damage.
“Primarily it is metal plating that's being put down to address those areas where tanks have to steer sharply,” Colonel Jesse Curry of the Army Corps of Engineers told a recent briefing.
“What you can also see during the parade is the tanks all have brand new rubber track pads placed on them which increase the padding they have underneath each track to minimize that potential damage.”
Image source, Getty ImagesBernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from Washington DC
Image source, Bernd Debusmann Jr / BBC NewsI just caught my first sight of the president - a long distance from the press area.
He's standing next to First Lady Melania Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Just a few minutes ago, Trump stood to attention and saluted as the national anthem was played.
We've now moved on to a history lesson about the revolutionary war, in which American forces, led by George Washington, defeated the British.
Image source, Getty ImagesMembers of the US Army driving in a Sherman tank participate in the 250th birthday parade
Soldiers in period dress and driving army equipment of different wars are marching on the parade grounds.
We are watching Army vehicles and tanks from World War One and World War Two filing past.
Image source, Getty ImagesSoldiers dressed in World War Two uniforms march in the military parade
Image source, AFP via Getty ImagesUS Army's paratroopers Golden Knights are descending from the grey Washington skies.
One of them is presenting a US flag to the president after landing.
Image source, ReutersAbout 7,000 uniformed soldiers are expected to take part in the parade, which will include dozens of tanks and military vehicles, plus marching bands.
President Trump has also promised "breath-taking flyovers".
The parade will be broken up into segments representing different wars the US has been involved in, starting with the Korean War and moving forwards through time to the Global War on Terror, according to the programme.
The festivities will end with a speech from Trump, then a fireworks show.
Soldiers dressed in modern uniforms - as well as in historical uniforms from the US Revolution and Civil War - are marching in the parade, as tanks enter Washington from across the river in Virginia.
Image source, EPASoldiers march in Washington
Image source, Getty ImagesUS soldiers dressed in Revolutionary War uniforms march in Washington
Image source, Getty ImagesUS soldiers dressed in Union uniforms march in Washington
Image source, EPATanks cross into Washington
Soldiers are marching as the military parade in Washington gets under way.
Image source, ReutersBernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from Washington DC
When Washington DC native Melvin Graves returned from fighting in Vietnam, he got no parade.
Graves, a 22-year combat veteran of the infantry, fought there in 1969 - a time of fierce battles and in which the war was deeply unpopular with a majority of Americans.
This parade, he tells me, is something that is special to him.
"This about as close as we'll get to having a parade coming home after Vietnam," he says.
Image source, Bernd Debusmann Jr / BBC NewsBeing from Washington DC - a city that voted overwhelmingly against President Trump - Graves is keenly aware that the parade is not without controversy.
That doesn't concern him.
"Yes, it's political. There's a political meaning behind it," he says sternly. "But you get past that.
"This is about going to honour these men and women who served, to thank them for their service."