Washington will host a celebration of US army’s 250th anniversary, which also coincides with president’s birthday

It will be a parade fit for a king – which is precisely why critics worry what message it will send the rest of the world about the future of democracy in America.

On Saturday there will be tanks on the streets of the nation’s capital as Washington hosts a celebration of the US army’s 250th anniversary, which happens to coincide with Donald Trump’s 79th birthday.

While the army has said it has no plans to recognize Trump’s birthday, the president will play a major role in a made-for-TV extravaganza that will reportedly feature rocket launchers and missiles.

The show of military might comes just a week after Trump activated thousands of national guard troops and marines to quell protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles. Opponents draw a direct line from that crackdown to Saturday’s authoritarian display of dominance.