Photos: Trump watches Army demonstration at Fort Bragg

Fort Bragg (North Carolina): President Donald Trump watched the US Army demonstrate a missile strike, a helicopter assault and a building raid at Fort Bragg on Tuesday, celebrating the 250th anniversary of that branch of the military while he deployed members of another — the US Marines — to Los Angeles to join the National Guard in response to immigration protests.

Before his expected remarks at Fort Bragg, Trump sat under a canopy to watch the demonstrations, a preview of the kind of show of American military might he is expected to display in the nation’s capital for a massive military parade this weekend.

Fort Bragg, which is located near Fayetteville, North Carolina, serves as headquarters for US Army Special Operations Command. Highly trained units like the Green Berets and the 82nd Airborne are based there.

The atmosphere resembled a state fair with military flair. Inflatable slides and attractions for children were set up in a field, with artillery, trucks and helicopters parked on another section of the lawn. Right outside the security checkpoint — but still on the base — two stands were selling Trump political hats, T-shirts and other paraphernalia.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll were also at Tuesday’s event, along with service members, veterans and their families.

Driscoll, who spoke to the crowd earlier in the afternoon, called Trump “the greatest recruiter in our Army’s history.”

Trump has promoted the Army’s anniversary as a reason to hold a military parade in Washington on Saturday, which is also his 79th birthday. Tanks and other vehicles will roll down city streets in a reminder of how the Republican president is reshaping the armed forces after returning to the White House this year.

Trump, who sees the military as a critical tool for domestic goals, has used the recent protests in Los Angeles as an opportunity to deploy the National Guard and US Marines to quell disturbances that began as protests over immigration raids.

Trump has authorised the deployment of 4,000 National Guard soldiers to the city over the objections of California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat. About 700 Marines were deployed to the Los Angeles area, but had not yet been sent to respond to the protests.

California sued Trump over the deployment, with the state attorney general arguing that the president had “trampled” the state’s sovereignty. California leaders accused Trump of fanning protesters’ anger, leading crowds to block off a major freeway and set self-driving cars on fire.

“We’re gonna have troops everywhere,” Trump said over the weekend. “We’re not going to let this happen to our country.”

Fort Bragg has been in the middle of a cultural tug-of-war over the military. It was named after a Confederate general, then renamed Fort Liberty two years ago.

Hegseth brought back the Bragg name but said it was being used to honour an Army paratrooper who served in World War II.