STORY: President Donald Trump's long-sought military parade rolled through the streets of downtown Washington on Saturday in celebration of the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary.
TRUMP: "Every other country celebrates its victories. It's about time America did too."
But the event, which coincided with Trump's 79th birthday, was marred by a day of violence and discord.
From New York to Chicago to Los Angeles, hundreds of thousands of Americans marched in protest of Trump's actions while in office.
"I believe that Donald Trump is destroying our country."
And earlier in the day, a gunman assassinated a Democratic lawmaker and wounded another in Minnesota.
The parade kicked off earlier than expected due to thunderstorms forecast in the Washington area, with tanks, armored personnel carriers and artillery.
It's an unusual sight in the U.S. where such displays of military are rare.
Trump watched the proceedings from an elevated viewing stand behind bulletproof glass.
Many of the protests against him earlier in the day took place under the theme "No Kings," asserting that no individual is above the law.
Actor Mark Ruffalo was at the protest in New York:
"We have a king in his court and his beige henchmen, and they're trampling on our rights and our laws and our freedoms."
The demonstrations were largely peaceful and marked the largest outpouring of opposition to Trump's presidency since he returned to power in January.
The situation was more tense in Los Angeles, though.
Police used flash-bang grenades and tear gas to push back protesters.
Anti-Trump groups planned nearly 2,000 demonstrations across the country to coincide with the parade.
Critics have called the parade a wasteful authoritarian display of power, especially given Trump has said he wants to slash costs throughout the federal government.
Officials say the celebrations are expected to cost the U.S. Army between $25 million and $45 million.
