People think they’ve spotted ‘sad and pathetic’

President Donald Trump celebrated his 79th birthday on Saturday by attending a military parade in Washington D.C. honoring the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary. Accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, family, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Trump watched tanks, aircraft, and over 6,000 soldiers in historical uniforms. The parade depicted the Army’s history from the Revolutionary War to today. In an eight-minute speech, Trump praised the U.S. military and said, “We’re the hottest country in the world right now,” promising retaliation against threats to the American people.

The parade drew criticism online, especially after some viewers accused Fox News of adding artificial cheering during Trump’s speech. Reddit users mocked the apparent audio manipulation, calling it “pathetic” and comparing the sound to a small arena crowd. Others noted the cheering was present across different broadcasts, likely due to audio equipment differences. White House communications director Steven Cheung claimed over 250,000 attended, but media outlets like AP and the New York Times reported significantly smaller crowds. Protesters also organized a separate march in Philadelphia to oppose the event, criticizing it as “wasteful” and “un-American,” according to activist group No Kings.