Trump upset with Hegseth over failed birthday parade

President Donald Trump was unhappy with a military parade held on his 79th birthday, which also marked the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary. The event, meant to show strength, turned out to be a disappointment with few people showing up. Biographer Michael Wolff shared on The Daily Beast Podcast that Trump blamed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for the parade’s failure.

Wolff said Trump wanted a serious, powerful display, but the parade felt too cheerful. Soldiers were seen enjoying themselves, not marching perfectly, which annoyed Trump. Social media pointed out the soldiers’ relaxed steps along Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C. Wolff mentioned that Trump called Hegseth, angrily questioning the event’s lighthearted tone and who planned it.

Despite the parade’s high cost of $45 million, it didn’t impress as Trump had hoped. Protests against Trump’s leadership, called “No Kings,” drew much larger crowds across the country on the same day. Trump, joined by First Lady Melania Trump and Hegseth in the viewing stands, later called the parade a “huge success” while speaking to reporters before heading to the G7 summit in Canada.

However, the small turnout and online jokes about the event told a different story. Critics, including some on social media, mocked the parade’s poor planning and lack of impact, making it a letdown for Trump’s vision of a grand celebration.