The grand military parade that President Donald Trump had been wanting for years barrelled down Constitution Avenue on Saturday with tanks, troops and a 21-gun salute, playing out against the counterpoint of protests across the country by those who decried the U.

A 33-mile trip from one protest in Annapolis, Md., to the parade grandstand in front of the White House was like a journey between two different countries.

Coinciding with Trump's 79th birthday, the parade will feature tanks, bands and thousands of troops in honor of the Army’s 250th anniversary celebration.

In preparation for the parade, the city installed more than 200 steel plates and rubber mats to protect D.C.’s historic streets.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Grand military parade in DC marking US Army’s 250th birthday kicks off with tanks, troops and 21-gun salute.

"It's really fun, and honestly nerve-wracking," said Jonas Chu, an armored vehicle driver who will appear in the Army's 250th anniversary parade.

President Trump is hosting a parade celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army on Saturday, bringing tanks and soldiers to the streets of Washington, D.C., for the capital's first major military parade in more than three decades.