Larry Catá Backer's comments on current issues in transnational law and policy. These essays focus on the constitution of regulatory communities (political, economic, and religious) as they manage their constituencies and the conflicts between them. The context is globalization. This is an academic field-free zone: expect to travel "without documents" through the sometimes strongly guarded boundaries of international relations, constitutional, international, comparative, and corporate law.
Sunday, June 15, 2025
President Donald Trump’s Full Remarks at the 250th Anniversary of the US Army Grand Military Parade June 14, 2025, the "No Kings" Response, and Political Communication as Agit-Prop
As President Trump said in his remarks: “Tonight, we affirm with unwavering certainty that in the years ahead, and in every generation hence, whenever duty calls and whatever danger comes, the American Soldier will be there. No matter the risks, no matter the obstacles, our warriors will charge into battle, they will plunge into the crucible of fire, and they will seize the crown of victory because the United States of America will always have the grace of Almighty God and the iron will of the United States Army.” (President Trump Celebrates U.S. Army’s 250th Birthday with Iconic Grand Parade" )
Demonstrators gathered in parks and plazas across the U.S. to protest against President Donald Trump. The “No Kings” rallies were organized in nearly 2,000 locations nationwide, including cities, towns, and community spaces. These protests followed recent unrest over federal immigration raids and Trump’s deployment of the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles, where tensions escalated with protesters blocking a freeway and setting vehicles on fire.
And, indeed, as NPR appeared to suggest, the principle value of "No Kings" (other than perhaps for their participants whose objectives they are in the best position to articulate, was to produce images. (The Picture Show; Photos: See No Kings protests around the country). Agit-prop (agitation-propaganda with its origins in the 1920s in Western Europe and with a Soviet aspect as well but then sometimes detached from a particular ideological positioning)) remains both a powerful visual tool and a preferred tool for leveraging culture and media technologies to advance political, social, cultural objectives within liberal democratic states. Imagery and performance rather than text and argument, now shape the narratives within which it is possible to believe, and from belief to understand, a world around one in a way that aligns belief with the performance of the act of believing in a thing. This is as much embedded in the popular manifestations of people as it is in more organized parades. Both tell one more about the state of performing belief than they do about the things shaped by that belief--not text, theater.
One might well wonder whether, given the state of contemporary culture, the most effective forms of political communication are now only effective when projected in the forms and with the sensibilities of agit-prop. There are interesting potential consequences that might be worth considering. Among these are what that turn to agit-prop as discourse might potentially negatively impact the now almost century old inculcation of narratives of "brain trust" governance, experts and fact driven techno-bureaucratic managerialism that appears, just recently to be approaching a climatic (and transformative) moment. Another focuses on the performance of politics through mass manifestations; where decisive communication may turn on the strength, and vigor, of mass mobilizations on the street, the forms and nature of speech and speech acts, and their consequences may change dramatically, and intensely. And yet another, and broader element worth considering are the way that agit-prop may reshape the relationship between popular manifestations and the institutional apparatus of political authority. Lastly, agit-prop as an instrument of institutionalized authority also has a significant effect on that authority and on the institutions for the control and management of which it may be deployed. This is not to suggest much of anything pointed to the resolution or preferences in this current state of the American national condition--that I leave to others. It is, however, to note that agit-prop as an instrument does not have a political ideology, but if done well does have an interesting potential effect on the institutionalization of power in liberal democratic states.
A video of the President's remarks may also be accessed HERE.
President Trump Celebrates U.S. Army’s 250th Birthday with Iconic Grand Parade
The White House
Last night, President Donald J. Trump and the First Lady — along with
members of his Administration and military leaders — joined veterans,
active-duty troops, wounded warriors, Gold Star Families, and patriotic
Americans from all over the country in the nation’s capital to celebrate
the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army.
An iconic grand parade wrapped up a day of festivities celebrating
the legacy of the U.S. Army and the generations of heroes who have
protected our country with strength, selflessness, and bravery — and
looking boldly forward to the next 250 years of patriotism and military
achievement.
As President Trump said in his remarks:
“Tonight, we affirm with unwavering certainty that in the years ahead,
and in every generation hence, whenever duty calls and whatever danger
comes, the American Soldier will be there. No matter the risks, no
matter the obstacles, our warriors will charge into battle, they will
plunge into the crucible of fire, and they will seize the crown of
victory because the United States of America will always have the grace
of Almighty God and the iron will of the United States Army.”
* * *
JD Vance
00:00:00-00:00:40 (40 sec)
No StressLens
Well,
let me say to the thousands of Americans who traveled from distant
towns and across state lines to be here today, this is your national
capital. Welcome to Washington D.C. We are thrilled to have you. This
evening, as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States
Army, the oldest branch of the greatest fighting force ever known to
man, I want to say to all the soldiers all across our nation's capital
and all across the world, happy Birthday soldiers.
JD Vance
00:00:40-00:01:06 (27 sec)
No StressLens
We're
proud of you and I wanna say you represent an unbroken line of
greatness of excellence. And one of the things the President of the
United States has told his entire administration from the Vice
President, ol- on down, is that we must remember that the young men and
women who put on the uniform and serve this nation are our most precious
resource.
JD Vance
00:01:06-00:01:46 (40 sec)
No StressLens
We
must honor them. We must respect them. We must fight for them. And
that's exactly what the Trump administration aims to do every single
day. And so to our soldiers, we're so proud of you. And let me tell you
that the way that we honor and respect you is number one, we never ask
you to go to war unless you absolutely have to. And number two, when we
do ask you to go to war, we give you the weapons and the support needed
to kick the hell outta the enemy and come back home safely.
JD Vance
00:01:46-00:02:04 (18 sec)
No StressLens
Now
I know I am the last thing standing between the main event and that is a
dangerous place to be with a lot of soldiers in the audience. So let me
just say a couple of quick additional thoughts. First of all, June the
14th is of course the birthday of the Army. It is of course the birthday
of the President of the United States.
JD Vance
00:02:04-00:02:38 (34 sec)
No StressLens
And
happy birthday Mr. president. But I would get in trouble if I didn't
mention that it's also my wedding anniversary. And so do my lovely wife,
I love you honey. Happy anniversary and thank you for everything that
you do for our country. So without further ado, it is my pleasure to
introduce the 45th and 47th commander-in-chief of the United States
Military, President Donald J. Trump.
Donald Trump
00:02:38-00:03:46 (68 sec)
No StressLens
And
thank you to Vice President Vance. And thank you to our wonderful first
lady. And above all, thank you to the greatest fiercest and bravest
fighting force ever to stride the face of this earth, the United States
Army. Thank you very much. Corse the Army keeps us free. You make us
strong. And tonight you have made all Americans very proud.
Donald Trump
00:03:46-00:04:16 (30 sec)
No StressLens
They're
watching from all over the world actually, made 'em all very proud.
Every other country celebrates their victories. It's about time America
did too. That's what we're doing tonight. And watching this magnificent
display, our souls are filled with gratitude for every generation of
warriors who have worn the uniform, all the way back to the very
beginning.
Donald Trump
00:04:16-00:04:50 (34 sec)
No StressLens
So
to every veteran across our land and right here in our nation's
capital, including six recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor,
we love you, we honor you, and we salute your noble service to our flag
and to our country. As we celebrate tonight, we also think of the
hundreds of thousands of Army soldiers who have made the supreme
sacrifice for our nation and selflessly laid down their lives in every
war, from the Revolution to the war on terror.
Donald Trump
00:04:50-00:05:25 (35 sec)
No StressLens
To
the Gold Star families with us today, the courage of your heroes is the
bedrock on which our entire nation stands. We thank you. Yes, we thank
you. Today we commemorate an event that did not just change American
history, but changed the history of the entire world. With the creation
of America's army on June 14th, 1775, liberty got its shield and the
freedom got its sword.
Donald Trump
00:05:25-00:05:52 (27 sec)
No StressLens
Those
first army patriots in the American Revolution fought against a
fearsome enemy and impossible odds, but they were armed with a righteous
cause. They were led by an indomitable commander, a truly great man,
General George Washington. And they were united by an eternal creed.
Their motto was victory or death.
Donald Trump
00:05:52-00:06:17 (26 sec)
No StressLens
Over
the past two and a half centuries, our warriors have shown unrivaled
valor on fields and battle around the globe. With the frost-bitten feet
and bloody fists, they have marched into the flames and fury of combat,
charged up mountains, stormed beaches, waded through torrents of
gunfire, and leapt into skies thick with smoke and shrapnel.
Donald Trump
00:06:17-00:06:45 (27 sec)
No StressLens
The
U.S. Army has driven bayonets into the heart of sinister empires,
crushed the ambitions of evil tyrants beneath. The threads of American
tanks, it's done so well, it's done so much, and sent the devil himself
flying into full retreat. Time and again, America's enemies have learned
that if you threaten the American people, our soldiers are coming for
you.
Donald Trump
00:06:45-00:07:24 (40 sec)
No StressLens
Your
defeat will be certain, your demise will be final, and your downfall
will be total and complete because our soldiers never give up, never
surrender, and never, ever quit. They fight, fight, fight and they win,
win, win. And that's why no institution in history has entered more
names into the roster of American heroes than the U.S. Army, the
Congressional Medal of Honor.
Donald Trump
00:07:24-00:08:01 (37 sec)
No StressLens
More
than anyone or anything. There was Mad Anthony Wayne asked by George
Washington to lead a daring midnight raid up the cliffs of Stony Point
with unloaded muskets and only their bayonets to fight the Redcoats. Mad
Anthony replied, Issue the order, sir, and I will storm into hell for
you." Then there was the Civil War General John Corse shot in the face
in combat.
Donald Trump
00:08:01-00:08:38 (37 sec)
No StressLens
He
fired off a message to his commander, "I am short a cheekbone and one
ear, but I am able to whip the hell out of all of them." He stayed on
the front lines. It seemed forever. In World War II, there was the great
Creighton Abrams. Besieged on all sides by the Nazis at the Battle of
the Bulge, he boldly proclaimed, "They've got us surrounded again, the
poor bastards." This is the fighting spirit and unyielding force of the
U.S. Army.
Donald Trump
00:08:38-00:09:19 (41 sec)
No StressLens
It
has never changed and it will never ever change because there is no
earthly force more powerful than the brave heart of a U.S. infantrymen
or an army ranger, paratrooper or green beret. They are the best. They
are the finest. From Bunker Hill to San Juan Hill, from Gettysburg to
Guadalcanal, from Yorktown to Shiloh, and from the trenches of the
Argonne to the mountains of Afghanistan, the army has forged a legacy of
unmatched courage, untold sacrifice, and unequaled and undying glory.
Donald Trump
00:09:19-00:09:49 (31 sec)
No StressLens
Our
soldiers have poured out their blood by the bucketful on Missionary
Ridge and Heartbreak Ridge on the sands of Sicily, Normandy, and the
Philippines, and on the dusty streets of Da Nang, Baghdad, and Fallujah.
Thanks to their extraordinary service and devotion, 250 years later,
America stands tall, America stands proud, and America stands free.
Donald Trump
00:09:49-00:10:25 (36 sec)
No StressLens
We're
the hottest country in the world right now, and our country will soon
be greater and stronger than ever before. Down through history, we've
been blessed beyond words by this valiant legion of Army warriors and
Patriots, heroes, and legends. And tonight we affirm with unwavering
certainty that in the years ahead and in every generation hence,
whenever duty calls and whatever danger comes, the American soldier will
be there.
Donald Trump
00:10:25-00:10:51 (26 sec)
No StressLens
No
matter the risk, no matter the obstacles, our warriors will charge into
battle, they will plunge into the crucible of fire and they will seize
the crown of victory because the United States of America will always
have the grace of Almighty God and the iron will of the United States
Army. Congratulations to everybody.
Donald Trump
00:10:51-00:11:11 (20 sec)
No StressLens
We
love our country. We've never done better. Thank you. God bless you,
God bless the army, and God bless America. And now I'd like to ask our
great First Lady to join me at the podium. Thank you very much,
everybody. Thank you.
Military Aide
00:11:11-00:12:17 (65 sec)
No StressLens
Mr.
President, on behalf of the United States Army, the Army Golden
Knights, I would like to present to you this flag, which was flown over
our nation's capital and free fall during the Army's 250th birthday
celebration.
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