Military parade draws patriotic Americans from near and far: ‘No better time to come to DC’

Attendees of Saturday’s military parade in the nation’s capital came from all corners of the United States, and Fox News Digital spoke to several of them to hear why they had traveled from near and far to attend the one-of-a-kind event. 

Some attendees were local, while others drove hundreds of miles to see the event honoring the Army’s 250th birthday. Saturday also was Flag Day, celebrated each year to commemorate the adoption of the American flag in 1777, as well as President Donald Trump’s birthday. 

“For me, this is a sense of patriotism,” one attendee from the Baltimore-area said. “We’re celebrating Flag Day, the 250th anniversary of the Army — coincidentally, it’s also Donald Trump’s birthday.”

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Attendees from across the country who spoke to Fox News Digital said that they were there to honor our troops, but many said that they were there supporting Trump as well.

“There’s no better time to come to D.C. to support our military than when we have a president who really respects our military – a president like Donald Trump,” one attendee, who traveled from Florida to be at the parade, said. “There’s no better time to come.”

“We’re very patriotic people, so I think it’s important to come here and just observe it, just enjoy it,” said another attendee who had traveled from Northern Kentucky. “It’s Trump’s birthday, so that’s good, too,” they added.

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Many veterans were also in attendance as well.

“I figured this would be the last chance I’d get to see a parade like this,” a 30-year Army veteran said.

“Army celebration,” another veteran said when asked why they drove from Ann Arbor, Michigan, to attend.

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Meanwhile, there was a noticeable anti-Trump presence outside the perimeter of the parade, but within the parameter it was much more scarce.

Nonetheless, Fox News Digital spoke to a few anti-Trump folks who made it inside. 

“This is about my sixth or seventh protest since Trump has been in office,” one anti-Trump attendee who was at the parade said. “I feel like (Trump) is trying to strut, instead of celebrate, the army. I don’t like the way that he is, uh, putting our military to the forefront as if it were celebrating a threat.”