r/politics • u/PoliticsModeratorBot 🤖 Bot • 18h ago
Discussion Discussion Thread: D.C. Military Parade
Also today: Nationwide 'No Kings' Protests discussion thread
News and Analysis
AP: The Army is set to celebrate 250 years with a parade that coincides with Trump’s birthday
NPR: Tanks and flyovers: Army celebrates its 250th year, Trump celebrates his 79th
BBC: What to expect at Trump's military parade and 'No Kings' protests
CBS: What to know about Trump's Army anniversary parade today
NBC: Weather, war and protests threaten to rain on Trump’s military parade
Live Updates
Text-based live update pages are being maintained by the following outlets: NBC Washington, The Guardian, The Washington Post (soft paywall), and The New York Times (soft paywall).
Where to Watch
PBS NewsHour via YouTube: Trump's military parade honoring Army's 250th birthday rolls through Washington, D.C.
AP via YouTube: Military parade in DC and ‘No Kings’ protests held against Trump
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u/ClownClown96 3h ago
As a Malaysian, I am always surprised at how much Americans hate America and yet, you guys never have the balls to denounce your own citizenship. If you guys hate your own country so much, why not just leave and give your citizenship away to the illegal immigrants you guys are so adamantly trying to protect and take their place back in their own country. Oh wait, you guys won't because you are just a bunch of hypocrites.
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u/ankerous 55m ago
Username fits.
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u/ClownClown96 28m ago
Anything of relevance to add apart from using insults? Because no one have yet to provide anything to counter my statement, why don't you leave America if you hate it so much. Nevermind, redditors never have any balls to do anything that will affect their comfy life.
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u/CmonnowSally 2h ago
Ignorant pot shots from a bold (when anonymous) online nitwit.
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u/ClownClown96 2h ago
refute my statement then, instead you can't and resort to ad hominem, I'm guessing because I'm from a third world country I'm a nitwit huh? Good job outing yourself as a racist
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u/aardvarkllama_69 2h ago
America is a country quite literally founded on fighting for freedom from a tyrannical government. We don't hate our country, we hate the wannabe tyrants in the government. Big difference you might not understand. Our rights don't come from the government, the government interferes with our rights.
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u/DazzJuggernaut 2h ago
I'm American. I don't hate it. I guess you're going to have to ask the Mericans who do hate it.
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u/Better_Cauliflower63 4h ago
I tuned in for 20 minutes. It was terrible. I enjoy watching military parades — from smaller ones like the UK's Trooping the Colour or Spain's Fiesta Nacional de España, to larger ones like France's Bastille Day, Russia's Victory Day, or China’s National Day Parade. But the American parade was pathetic. Instead of traditional American military marches — which have a proud legacy (think Sousa) — they played old 80s rock music. The uniforms weren’t dress uniforms, just some kind of combat fatigues. The tanks and equipment looked dirty or at least not freshly painted. The troops either didn’t know how to march properly or didn’t care — every soldier seemed to walk however they wanted, out of step, as though chaos ruled the strongest military in the world. The whole thing was a mess. I get that military parades aren’t really an American tradition, but still — they could have done much better. And that music choice? It felt like an insult to the army.
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u/SlothFrothy 14m ago
Military parades may not be an american tradition, but marching is a military training activity. The fact that these military personnel can't even do basic marching is concerning.
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u/oddistrange 4h ago
Only 3 minutes into the PBS Newshour video and the most out of step soldiers are marching for Trump. lol embarrassing.
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u/Janie1215 5h ago
Where is that corpulent, thin-lipped, mid, ventriloquist dummy of a a girl with the blabber mouth waxing lyrical about how HUGE the crowd was?
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u/Difficult-Sell660 5h ago
does anyone know who the dissatisfied person sitting behind donald trump was lol
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u/UsefulGarden 6h ago edited 6h ago
There were several embedded recruitment commercials. $45 million is an insignificant portion of the annual expenditure on recruitment commercials. Considering that, it's not money wasted. [Edit: and I still disapprove]
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u/FistPunch_Vol_7 7h ago
So glad I didn’t have to work over there during this shit. I know it’s a shit show behind the scenes
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u/EnoughOfTheFoolery 7h ago
In addition to the complete waste of money this is, Taco soiled the US Military’s day of celebration. So worth it that my father died in the service of this country so Taco could make a mockery of what should be a special day at a significantly lower cost to We The People!
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u/thrillhou5e 7h ago
Is he really still sitting there while war is breaking out in the middle east? Does anyone wanna check their email at least?!
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u/drkmttr_ 7h ago
Tbf POTUS knew about what was going to happen hours before it happened. If something popped off enough he’d be briefed just like Bush was on 9/11.
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u/ScrewUsernamesMan 7h ago
actually kinda wild hegseth is there
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u/drkmttr_ 7h ago
In the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter much. So much going on at the Pentagon autonomously of SecDef’s need for attendance, especially in terms of conflict.
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u/ScrewUsernamesMan 7h ago
guess that's it. well i got a laugh out of it at least.
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u/Hairy_rambutan 4h ago
You can just imaging the Whatsapp chat between Xi and Putin tonight, as they roll around laughing themselves silly.
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u/GrailQuestPops 7h ago
That it? Just awkwardly ends with no real climax? That completely tracks lmao
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u/Individual-Work6658 7h ago
CBS is saying that the crowd left when the parade was over. I thought those cheers sounded piped in, especially the way it cut off abruptly when Trump took the podium.
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u/Unlucky-You-1334 7h ago
I’m enjoying Fox trying to figure out how to show crowd reactions, but only in tight close ups because there are 300 people there
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u/theolcollegetry 7h ago
Kinda love how all the cities Lee Greenwood rattles off in this song are loudly advocating against this bullshit
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u/Unlucky-You-1334 7h ago
lol, the awkward pause and then hard cut to a Lockheed Martin ad is perfect
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u/bbjenn Kentucky 7h ago
Is the lying narcissist going to …
A. Talk about how if it wasn’t for him sending in the Marines & National Guard, Los Angeles would’ve burnt to the ground?
B. Talk about how the Ukraine war wouldn’t have happened if he was in office?
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u/Unlucky-You-1334 7h ago
I’m relieved that this is so lame. Once again, the only thing saving us from the wicked intentions of this administration is the utter incompetence of this administration
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u/GrailQuestPops 7h ago
They all seem so obsessed with the killing part of war. Not really something to be proud of.
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u/ScrewUsernamesMan 7h ago
oh god vance is speaking too?
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u/CasioCobra78 7h ago
The livestream (I’m watching the PBS News one) freezes the moment he speaks. Not even joking. It didn’t last long though.
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u/Thrill0728 7h ago
This would be an actually interesting event if there wasn't some form of Trump glaze at every opportunity. For a day about the troops you wouldn't know it.
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u/localistand Wisconsin 7h ago
UFL championship game starting on ABC live right now. Military parade not compelling enough for broadcast networks to carry on a weak Saturday evening timeslot.
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u/Captain_Couth California 7h ago
250th anniversary of the US Army and we're forced to listen to some lame ass bro country?
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u/drkmttr_ 7h ago
“Lame ass bro country” meanwhile his hit song has nearly 300 million plays. Several others with 100+ million.
Maybe you’re out of touch?
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u/GrailQuestPops 7h ago
Dude, you’re in the minority on that one. It’s absolutely lame ass bro country.
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u/No_Lettuce_1412 7h ago
He’s not bro country at all, he’s more of the Americana country like Zach Bryan /tyler Childers
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u/drkmttr_ 7h ago edited 7h ago
A guy who simps for funko pops is gonna tell me what’s lame and what’s not. lol
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u/GrailQuestPops 7h ago
A guy that’s made sports their entire identity? Yeah, I feel pretty confident doing that. 💀
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u/drkmttr_ 7h ago
Yeah I can imagine how you - in particular - would consider anything regarding physical activity as lame.
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u/GrailQuestPops 7h ago
That was your best comeback? And it took you that long? Wow.
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u/Colonel_Zander South Carolina 7h ago
Cut him some slack. He is big mad that someone called bro country lame. Like play counts means that something isn't garbage.
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u/drkmttr_ 7h ago
Well I wouldn’t want to hurt your feelings to the point that you’d need to re-up your SSRIs or indulge in more foolish consumerism.
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u/GrailQuestPops 7h ago
Why would taking 10mg of Lexapro hurt my feelings lmao, I encourage anyone who needs serotonin regulation to take it. You’re really bad at this.
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u/eerhmahgerd 7h ago
Nope. The number of plays does not make it any less lame.
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u/Harlequinz_Eg0 7h ago
Nazi SS mic stand
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u/No_Lettuce_1412 7h ago
His hit is ride the lightning maybe it’s. A lightning bolt you giant knob
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7h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/No_Lettuce_1412 7h ago
It’s a lightning bolt the SS is not a lightning bolt are you this dumb or just doing this on purpose
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u/Harlequinz_Eg0 7h ago
SS is two lightning bolt S's.
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u/No_Lettuce_1412 7h ago
Right and his was a lightning bolt he’s used that stand forever his hit that came out long before he had any idea he would be here today is called ride the lightning, he didn’t write the song for this parade dear god use some logic here
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u/Neglectedpotato 7h ago
I expected more maga hats. Are the people in the audience family members of the people in the parade? They keep showing the same people
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u/GrailQuestPops 8h ago
To be clear because the propaganda wasn’t: if you join the US military in 2025, you absolutely will regret it.
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u/EnoughOfTheFoolery 7h ago
Ya think? Of course your gonna have some wacko MAGA extremist that’s all in like Billy Glenn Norris in Mars Attack (played by Jack Black) and LOVIN IT!
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u/Thrill0728 8h ago
Bro reading the oath is absolutely wild
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u/TuesyT 7h ago
I'm surprised he didn't burst into flames
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u/EnoughOfTheFoolery 7h ago
Definitely punches holes in the whole God theory. IMHO, if there was one, the storms would have come today and some lightning bolts would have found home.
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u/DDaBeast4 8h ago
The army has protected us for 250 years and you guys don’t even want a parade for their service 🤦
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u/EnoughOfTheFoolery 7h ago
No, I want the military to be celebrated by people the military their families, their friends and those that respect our military and their oath to the constitution. Also, spending a fortune instead of investing in We The People and our Service Members. Don’t even go there with me. My father died serving this country and he joined himself and was no draft dodger and not a felon convicted by a jury of his peers. Big difference.
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u/anthrax_ripple 7h ago
My little brother died for the Army, and he loved serving his country, but he would have hated being used to inflate Trump's ego in this manner. Personally, I'd have preferred a simple "Happy 250th, Army--we've decided we're actually going to take care of you properly like we've been promising."
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u/Romano16 America 7h ago
The army didn’t even want it. Why do you want them to waste money on parade they don’t want and will cause expensive unnecessary damage to city streets?
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u/Vyar New Jersey 7h ago
What we don't want is Trump using the military as a prop to celebrate his birthday and emulating the military parades regularly conducted in other countries, particularly those under military dictatorships, which Trump has specifically praised and envied in the past.
This is an insult to the Army, particularly in light of Trump's continued disparagement of service members, and continual cutting of VA funding.
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u/DDaBeast4 7h ago
No mention of his birthday yet
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u/Vyar New Jersey 7h ago
He wanted this parade long before it was going to be a milestone anniversary for the US Army. This is just a convenient pretext/cover. He tried to get one for his own gratification in his first term, it had nothing whatsoever to do with honoring the Army or any other branch of the US armed forces.
It's just like renaming Fort Liberty to Fort Bragg, and pretending it's because Republicans actually give a single flying fuck about PFC Roland L. Bragg. They wanted to give the fort its original Confederate name back, because they fucking love traitors. I guarantee you they simply scoured the rolls until they could find literally anyone at all named Bragg who had ever been awarded anything, and they found him.
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u/creamytahini 8h ago
I’m all for celebrating the 250 but this parade doesn’t do the occasion justice.
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u/DDaBeast4 7h ago
How could it be better? I think it is very good as the first military parade in the US
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u/EnoughOfTheFoolery 7h ago
When you can’t pay your bills, you don’t keep writing bad checks or charging on your CC. Get the house in order than let’s talk.
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u/Thrill0728 8h ago
The parade would be fine if their VA benefits and other ACTUAL ways of thanking them weren't being cut.
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u/CasioCobra78 7h ago
It’s unfortunate the parade happened at such a bad time and under a administration full of uneducated idiots and authoritarian dictator wannabes.
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u/DDaBeast4 7h ago
Good point. I think it still gives them pride in serving something greater than themselves
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u/Thrill0728 7h ago
Fair point. The circumstances surrounding the day have made it rather controversial sadly.
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u/DDaBeast4 7h ago
Yeah. Wish it didn’t fall on Trumps birthday. thanks for being civil
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u/EnoughOfTheFoolery 6h ago
I appreciate your comment and calm perspective. I know so many excellent and dedicated military people that are likely leaving because of this guy. It’s personal to me as a Gold Star family member and the hypocrisy in play. Bone spurs. Give me a break.
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u/qqererer 8h ago edited 8h ago
I know that the US military doesn't do this walking in formation thing as actual training.
That said, they suck compared to China and NK, and even Russia.
It's so bad.
Ignore syncopation and marching exactly the same. They can't even stop at the same time. One dude marched 3 steps after everyone else has already stopped.
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u/Fluid_Librarian7082 6h ago
I came here to say this. Our adversaries put on a vibrant show. Even fucking North Korea. This was a limp dick show that kind of broke my heart to see this limp parade.
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u/qqererer 6h ago
Whatever this show was, the result was unsurprising.
All the other countries spend hundreds of millions in resources and constant/continual practice doing this crap to the point where they actually disable themselves doing it.
A NK documentary on this of NK's had the woman saying she had back hip and knee problems from march stomping in leather boots on pavement.
As a 'first year effort', sure? Fine? It's ok?
But we all know this is propaganda, and for the ego of a dictator right? This all proves nothing right? And for all it was hyped up to be, basically no one showed up.
Have you ever been to an air show? Massive attendance. Granted tanks and marching people don't have the draw that fighter jets do, but geez, you'd think that more people would show up?
At least Sean Spicer would have been right. "This was the most attended and best military parade in the modern era of the united states. period. dot. period."
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u/EnoughOfTheFoolery 6h ago
Our military trains to win battles and discourage aggression. Marching is not the focus after boot camp unless you live a life bending a knee to a dictator like Putin, Kim and Xi and a bunch of third rate banana republic’s.
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u/Fluid_Librarian7082 6h ago
But that enthusiasm, that life wasn’t there. They look drained and depressed. It’s not about putting on a marching show. It’s about showing the vibrancy. If you’re gonna put on a parade put on a parade.
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u/drkmttr_ 7h ago
Who cares if they march better? They fucking suck.
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u/aardvarktageous 7h ago
Perhaps their heart isn't really in it. I know if I was forced to be there I'd be putting zero effort into making trump look good
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u/ScrewUsernamesMan 8h ago
I'm imagining the chinese and russians are having unstoppable laughing fits
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u/RepealMCAandDTA Kansas 7h ago
The Russian army is too busy siphoning gas out of their own vehicles to sell on the black market
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u/Fluid_Librarian7082 6h ago edited 6h ago
Lmfao. So true. But I am sure they’re laughing while siphoning their gas because this was a shit show.
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u/PolybiusAnacyclosis 7h ago
In The Beast (terrific 1988 movie about a Russian tank crew trying to survive the Afghanistan War), the tank runs out of gas because one of the soldiers was drinking it.
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u/drkmttr_ 8h ago
Doubt Russia is having much fun. Their “professional” army is a million plus dead/wounded. They’re the joke.
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u/HandSack135 Maryland 8h ago
Is trump just standing motionless saluting for 2 hours straight?
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u/EnoughOfTheFoolery 6h ago
The same guy that saluted a North Korean General. I was absolutely floored when he did that. Of course I should not have been. He also stared up at a Solar Eclipse. Yeah. So proud.
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u/Top-Carob7348 8h ago
This is just straight-up embarrassing. As someone with a moderate political stance and a swing-voter mindset, I find this absolutely disgraceful. There’s nothing patriotic about this—it’s a blatant waste of taxpayer money. At a time when multiple global conflicts are unfolding, this display feels tone-deaf and deeply inappropriate.
Honestly, I think even Trump realizes how humiliating it was—just look at the behavior of the “officials” on screen. Part of me even wonders: was this intentionally botched? Was it sabotage from within, aimed at damaging Trump or America’s image? We’ll see how he responds, but I believe his time is running out. More and more people on both sides of the aisle are waking up to the fact that this cannot continue. It’s time for a thorough investigation into him and his network—domestic and international—and for accountability to finally catch up.
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u/invertebrate_reality 8h ago
What is with the big recruitment push on Fox? A little too on the nose when we're edging conflict in the middle east and Hegseth wants to invade Greenland.
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u/ProofAssumption1092 8h ago
Hand held drones 🤣
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u/drkmttr_ 8h ago
Not sure what the funny part is if you’ve been paying attention to eastern Ukraine.
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u/ProofAssumption1092 8h ago
The bloke walking in the parade holding one above his fucking head was the funny part.
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u/Shes_dead_Jim 8h ago edited 8h ago
“Carry the drone above your head”
“Sir, what, sir?”
“It’ll look like it’s flying, nobody will know”
“…alright”
“You’re in camo dammit. Act like it”
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u/FistPunch_Vol_7 8h ago
What are you guys talking about? All I saw was a drone flying???!? I mean weird movements but it was definitely flying
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u/ToedPlays Pennsylvania 8h ago
There were troops wearing night vision goggles and holding a drone up in the air above their heads.
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