Mary Trump Predicts US to Face 'Yet Another Test' from Donald Trump

Mary Trump has predicted that President Donald Trump’s upcoming military parade in Washington, D.C., will serve as “yet another test” for the nation.

In response, White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly issued a statement to Newsweek accusing Mary Trump of “hating America by refusing to celebrate our service members who sacrifice so much for our country.”

The U.S. Army will mark its 250th anniversary with the parade on Saturday, coinciding with President Trump’s 79th birthday. The event comes amid rising tensions nationwide, including mass protests in Los Angeles over Trump’s deportation policies. Critics have likened the parade to displays of military power common in authoritarian regimes such as North Korea.

Mary Trump, the president’s estranged niece, voiced her concerns in a video posted to her Substack on Tuesday, calling the parade “another test” for America.

“On Saturday, I think we’re going to face yet another test. Donald will be honoring himself with a military parade, probably because he knows nobody else would do it,” she said.

She outlined two potential outcomes: either the public turnout will be so large it will eclipse Trump’s desire for adulation, or, as she fears Trump hopes, the military presence will intimidate people into staying home or provoke violence.

“The show of force could be so chilling that people won’t come out in large numbers, won’t be loud enough, or will stay home entirely—or—and this is really Donald’s endgame—there will be violence stoked by his foot soldiers,” she added.

Mary Trump predicted the spectacle would backfire, saying, “Americans who aren’t paying close enough attention will be absolutely horrified by this North Korea-like display in Washington.”

Costas Panagopoulos, a political science professor at Northeastern University, told Newsweek that while there is a “rich history” of military parades in the U.S., many will see this event differently because it happens to coincide with Trump’s birthday.

“I think many Americans will cringe watching this parade because it will look like Trump’s personal military celebration,” he said. “That perception will be hard to avoid, as it seems to be one of the main motivations behind it.”

Panagopoulos also noted that some will question why the administration is spending $45 million on the parade while federal lawmakers consider budget cuts. According to the Associated Press, the White House is seeking to rescind $9.4 billion in congressional spending, including funding for public media and global health programs.

He warned that concerns over possible violence surrounding the parade are “very real.”

“There’s a real danger of political violence when you have two strongly opposing sides in the streets simultaneously,” Panagopoulos said.

Although protesters are planning “No Kings” demonstrations nationwide, they have deliberately chosen not to hold events in Washington itself. Ezra Levin, co-founder of Indivisible, told Newsweek earlier this month that avoiding D.C. was intended to deny Trump an “excuse to crack down on peaceful protests.”

Deputy Press Secretary Kelly stated: “President Trump looks forward to this weekend’s unifying 250th Birthday Parade for the United States Army, which will honor all of our nation’s active-duty servicemembers, veterans, and fallen heroes. All Americans are invited to take part in thanking our military men and women who put their lives on the line to defend our freedom.”

On Tuesday, Trump told reporters: “If there are any protests that want to come out, they will be met with very big force. For those people who want to protest, they’re going to be met with very big force. I haven’t even heard about a protest, but this is people who hate our country.”

Panagopoulos added: “Most Americans won’t see this parade as a celebration of the Army’s birthday. They’ll see it as a celebration of Trump himself—and that will not sit well with many who have never seen anything like it. We’ve never had a military parade organized and funded to glorify a political leader.”

Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, echoed that criticism in The Intercept: “Trump squandering $45 million in taxpayer dollars on a military parade for his birthday is the epitome of government waste. If the administration truly wanted to honor the Army’s 250th anniversary, they’d support veterans and reinstate the thousands they fired from the federal workforce—not throw away millions on an extravagant parade.”

The parade is scheduled for Saturday, June 14, with large crowds and extensive security anticipated. Meanwhile, “No Kings” protests are planned in hundreds of communities across every state on the same day.