(The Lion) — President Donald Trump told The Lion and other reporters this weekend’s military parade will “celebrate our country for a change” and if it were not for America’s effort in World War II, “you would be speaking German right now.”
His comments came in response to a question from The Lion about what message he might have to adversaries as the U.S. Army celebrates its 250th birthday.
“I just think it’s amazing, we’re going to have a fantastic June 14th parade, Flag Day,” Trump said from behind his desk in the Oval Office. “We have planes, we have all sorts of things, and I think it’s going to be great. We’re going to celebrate our country for a change.”
Trump praised America’s troops for winning World War II and said the country should celebrate the victory.
“If it wasn’t for us, you would be speaking German right now,” he said. “And you might be speaking Japanese, you might be speaking a combination of both. We won the war, and we’re the only country that didn’t celebrate it, and we’re going to be celebrating big on Saturday.”
He also issued a stark warning to potential rioters and protesters ahead of Saturday’s “Grand Military Parade,” which is expected to draw a crowd of hundreds of thousands in a celebration of 250 years of the U.S. Army.
“And for those people that want to protest, they’re going to be met with very big force,” Trump said. “I haven’t even heard about a protest, but this is people that hate our country. But they will be met with very heavy force.”
Trump’s comments came after he held a briefing on his administration’s preparations for the “upcoming wildfire and hurricane season.” He was joined by Cabinet members, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum.
Trump also responded to questions about the riots in Los Angeles, criticizing California’s approach and crediting his efforts with saving the city.
“If we didn’t send the National Guard, Los Angeles would be burning right now,” Trump said, noting that the city is hosting the Olympics and “we don’t want people looking at Los Angeles like it would have been” without his military response.
“These are paid insurrectionists, these are paid troublemakers, they’re agitators,” he said.
Trump also criticized California Gov. Gavin Newsom for his response to the riots, saying he was doing a “bad job” and “causing a lot of death and a lot of potential death.”
Trump said he had last talked to Newsom “a day ago.” Newsom denied the claim on X, posting, “There was no call” or “even a voicemail” from the president.
Before Trump’s Oval Office remarks, The Lion heard from Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who said she was at the White House to “meet with administration officials” and see how Arkansas can continue to work with the administration.
Asked how she would feel about Trump sending National Guard troops to her state, Sanders said “If we needed help, I would be making the phone call myself to the president and asking for his assistance. But in Arkansas we would never allow to take place what they’re letting go on in California.”
Featured image: Maggie Little/The Lion
