Article:
Donald Trump, the incumbent president of the United States, had a birthday weekend that stood out from the norm with not just a handful, but nearly a whopping 2,000 public protests. Instead of an outpour of love or indulgence in birthday festivities on the day when the president turned a year older, Americans took to the streets in large numbers to remind Trump that he’s not a king, and it was a sight to behold.
Trump’s reign as president has been marred by divisive, and often incendiary policies, causing a surge of dislike towards him among a large group of Americans. From his notorious association with Putin and Kim Jong Un to the contentious immigration policies, the discontent against Trump seems to be steadily rising.
The “No Kings” protests that happened across major U.S. cities and even smaller municipalities were a direct response to his administration’s authoritative approach. As per reports from NPR, around 2,000 public demonstrations took place, with millions vociferously expressing their dissatisfaction with Trump and his policies. The New York variant of the No Kings protests had an estimated 50,000 peaceful protestors advocating for immigrants’ rights and other social issues that Trump’s administration has aggravated.
As expected, Trump marked his birthday with a military parade, a spectacle arranged in his honor which, however, ended up being an embarrassment. Eyewitnesses and social media users ridiculed the lackluster marching formation of troops and the extremely poor attendance.
Among those who did attend the commemoration, a majority appeared to be Trump’s core fan base; the event drew ironic comparisons to a nightclub scene at 10 pm with hardly anyone around.
To everyone’s amusement, outrage, or confusion, one peculiar instance of note was a performer singing karaoke on stage, uncannily similar to a performance by Lizzo, a known critic of Trump. It could, therefore, be questioned if the artist’s politics were given any consideration whatsoever in planning this event.
The public protests and social media mockery that defined Trump’s birthday weekend are a signal of the wave of resentment and disapproval of his tenure thus far as president. They serve as a powerful reminder that the United States celebrates democracy, not monarchy. Despite Trump’s ostentatious displays of power, the American public seem adamant on making the distinction crystal clear.
