No Kings protests vs Donald Trump’s military parade: Comparing the crowd sizes at each event

From Donald Trump’s military parade on his 79th birthday, to the tragic political assassination and attempted killing of lawmakers in Minnesota, to millions taking to the streets in protest across cities and towns nationwide, Saturday, June 14, 2025, was a historic day in the United States.

During his first administration, President Trump had expressed a strong desire to host a military parade. However, his advisors—particularly at the Pentagon—discouraged the idea, arguing that such displays were not part of U.S. military tradition and that the cost to taxpayers would be too high. This time, however, President Trump was not to be dissuaded. For weeks, he promoted the parade and accompanying festival, scheduled to coincide with his birthday, which also marked the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, founded initially as the Continental Army in 1775—a year before the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

How many people were at Trump’s military parade in D.C.?

Photos and videos from the event show a sparse crowd scattered along the parade route, which stretched across the National Mall. The weather may have played a role in the turnout—hot temperatures and the threat of storms nearly led the White House to cancel the event.

No official crowd estimate has been released by local law enforcement. Prior to the event, the Secret Service projected attendance at around 200,000. Afterward, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung posted on X that 250,000 people had attended.

However, these numbers are disputed. Reports from the scene suggest the crowd was half that size, or even smaller. Outlets, including the Associated Press, noted large gaps along the route and predicted the final count would fall short of expectations.

Doug Landry, an event planner with experience organizing major events, attended the celebration and estimated that around 100,000 people were present, with a margin of error of 20,000. He noted that even in the special VIP bleacher areas near the White House, they were more or less empty.

How many people participated in the No Kings protests?

Even if the White House’s 250,000 figure is taken at face value, it pales in comparison to the millions who joined protests against the Trump administration under the “No Kings” banner.

However, we should exercise healthy skepticism regarding the estimates provided by event organizers, as many figures are circulating on the internet. It is incredibly challenging to estimate crowd sizes, especially when considering the numerous events taking place simultaneously, which, according to organizers, totaled more than 1,500.

Organizers told Axios they estimate as many as 5 million people participated in the protests. The number was likely in the millions, with the largest being in Philadelphia, where around 80,000 protestors are thought to have participated.

Chicago’s count is emblematic of the counting challenge and competing figures, with organizers placing the crowd at around 75,000, and police saying that number was closer to 15,000. However, even in smaller towns like Concord, New Hampshire—home to about 44,000 residents—organizers estimated turnout between 5,000 and 8,000. Concord’s protest was one of 30 held across the “Live Free or Die” state.

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