U.S. Army veterans are speaking out against claims that Saturday’s 250th anniversary celebration of the U.S. Army is a “Trump military parade,” propaganda, or a sign of authoritarianism.
“As a Vietnam Veteran and retired Army soldier, I’m absolutely disgusted that the mainstream media are referring to the celebration as Trump’s military parade. They are so into TDS [Trump derangement syndrome] that they would give short shrift to the birthday of the U.S. Army,” retired FAA special agent Brian Sullivan told The Center Square.
Those criticizing the event “seem to have forgotten that their freedom, to be so disgusting, was guaranteed by the blood of American service men and women. They should hang their collective heads in shame,” Sullivan told the outlet.
“As a proud U.S. Army veteran, I’m thankful President Trump is celebrating the Army’s 250th birthday with a grand, patriotic parade,” James Fitzpatrick, director of the Center to Advance Security in America, told the outlet.
“I chose to serve in the Army to give back to and protect my community and country as did so many other selfless Americans. This celebration is one way to celebrate the brave Americans who have served in the Army over our nation’s history and will inspire the next generation of Soldiers to do the same,” he added.
Richard Welch, a longtime Texas oil executive and U.S. Army veteran who served in South Korea, also sounded off against the media’s false narrative. “In 1775 our founding fathers created the Continental Army to resist the oppression of the British, which was a true dictatorship. Today, unlike 1775 Britain, we have the ability to criticize our government at the expense of the brave men who fought and died during the American Revolution,” he told the outlet.
“We still have the ability to do this today because of the brave men and women who have continued to serve in the United States Army every day since. For without them, we would still be ruled under a dictatorship which we could call North Korea where such actions would justify imprisonment or beheadings,” he said.
PLAY:
As we celebrate @America250, join @SecDef for an inspiring dive into the birth of the U.S. Army and its pivotal role in shaping our nation’s story! ??
Watch now ?? pic.twitter.com/MT4ozseLwH
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 12, 2025
Ahead of the event, the U.S. Army launched a website to honor the legacy of the U.S. Army, saying, “For 250 years, Army heroes have shaped our nation’s story. … From the Revolutionary War through the present, countless soldiers have left their mark on the United States Army” through “intrepid and valorous action in battle, or by innovating processes that fundamentally shaped the way the Army operates.”
During the Trump administration, the Army is on track to meet its annual recruiting goals, having already achieved over 85% of its target for 2025, and all branches of the military are reporting record recruitment numbers, according to The Center Square.
