On June 14, Washington DC roared to life with the thunder of tanks, the wokka of choppers, and the march of some 7,000 soldiers celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the US Army. Hooah!
This spectacle of military might and national pride, unusual in the self-loathing West, was a bold declaration of America’s strength that coincided with President Trump’s 79th birthday.
Predictably, the usual chorus of left-wing critics in the US and abroad erupted in outrage, clutching their pearls while crying ‘dictator’ over what was, at its core, a celebration of the nation’s resilience and its defenders.
Here in Australia, Penny Wong and Anthony Albanese are illustrative of the Left’s malaise, undermining our own defence interests while wagging fingers at displays of Western resolve, even in the case of Israel’s self-defence. Labor’s refusal to commit to clear defence spending targets reveals their lack of vision for Australia’s security and a troubling disdain for the West’s foundational strength.
The US Army, born in 1775 to fight for independence against a global superpower, has facilitated Western liberty and liberal democracy for two and a half centuries. Without this institution, most of Europe and Australia would be speaking different languages today. The parade, featuring everything from Revolutionary War reenactors to modern drones, was a vivid reminder of this legacy. It showcased not just military hardware but the human spirit behind it.
Soldiers swore oaths, veterans cheered, and the crowd chanted ‘USA!’ despite the drizzle. President Trump tapped into the patriotism, saluting troops and reenlisting 250 recruits himself. The event wasn’t just about him, although the coincidence of his birthday added quite the flourish. It was about a nation unafraid to flex its muscles and honour its history.
Of course, the left lost its collective mind. ‘No Kings’ protests erupted across the US, with demonstrators waving pride banners, Mexican flags, and upside-down American flags (how that is meant to inspire is anybody’s guess), decrying Trump as a would-be autocrat. Pundits on legacy media and social platforms called the parade a ‘political stunt’ or, worse, a step toward authoritarianism. The reaction wasn’t just overblown. It stems from a deeper hatred of Western strength.
The same critics who cheer diversity and inclusion balk at displays of martial pride, as if celebrating a nation’s military history somehow negates its pluralism. They forget that the freedom to protest and wave Mexican and Palestinian flags was secured by the very institution they now vilify.
This isn’t about Trump. It’s about a pathological condition where naïve peaceniks see the West’s power as inherently oppressive rather than a force for stability in a chaotic world.
Enter Australia’s own contribution to this hand-wringing. Foreign Minister Penny Wong, ever the diplomat of equivocation, embodies this discomfort with Western assertiveness. Her tenure has been marked by a cautious, almost apologetic approach to Australia’s role in global security. Take her response to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Rather than unequivocally back a key Western ally, she’s hedged, appearing to prioritise Palestinian grievances over Israel’s right to self-defence. Her refusal to visit massacre sites in southern Israel while meeting Palestinian officials in the West Bank speaks volumes. It’s a pattern of signalling virtue over substance, undermining the moral clarity needed to protect Australians from terrorism and state aggression.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is no better. When US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly urged Australia to boost defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP, Albanese brushed it off, insisting Australia will ‘decide what we spend on defence’ and focusing on ‘capability’ over hard numbers.
This is political sleight-of-hand. Without a clear spending target, ‘capability’ is just rhetoric. Australia’s defence budget, projected to hit 2.3 per cent of GDP by 2033-34, is woefully inadequate for a nation staring down a volatile Indo-Pacific. Albanese’s government has committed $56 billion this year and $50 billion more over the next decade, but these figures pale against the $100 billion annually needed to match Cold War-era readiness.
Meanwhile, Albo dodges specifics on what ships, missiles, drones, or cyber capabilities Australia actually needs. This vagueness isn’t leadership, it’s indecision.
Contrast this with the US parade’s clarity of purpose. It wasn’t just a show. It was a signal to allies and adversaries alike that America remains a force to be reckoned with.
Australia, as a key US ally, should take note. Instead, Wong and Albanese seem more comfortable placating domestic progressives than bolstering our defence posture. Their reluctance to embrace higher spending or define a clear strategy leaves Australia vulnerable, especially as Trump’s administration pushes allies to pull their weight. The Aukus pact, critical for our nuclear submarine and advanced technological ambitions, hangs in the balance if we can’t match America’s industrial commitment.
Instead of rallying behind symbols of strength like the US Army’s legacy, critics here and abroad would rather tear them down. Wong and Albanese’s equivocations only embolden this trend. In the meantime, Australians impacted by recent Iranian attacks on Israel are being ignored by a government too busy telegraphing its weakness to our adversaries.
It’s time for clarity. Australia should commit to 3.5 per cent of GDP for defence now, articulate a clear plan for national defence, and stand unapologetically with allies like Israel and the US.
Dr Michael de Percy @FlaneurPolitiq is the Spectator Australia’s Canberra Press Gallery Correspondent. If you would like to support his writing, or read more of Michael, please visit his website.
