A SHOW OF FARCE

President seems sleepy during military procession. | Thousands of No Kings anti-Trump protests in US.

- MIKEY SMITH

DONALD Trump and his entourage could barely stay awake as his £33million birthday parade of tanks and troops rolled through a humid Washington DC.

The event, on paper a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the US Army, was sparsely attended, with far fewer than the expected 250,000 Trump fans turning up.

Elements of the parade — including a parachute display — were moved earlier as storm clouds gathered over the National Mall, threatening to soak the TROOPS Parade in capital Saturday night's parade 7000 soldiers marching the two-mile route in 30C heat.

During the lengthy event on his 79th birthday, Trump was beside his wife Melania, who scowled at times and seemed asleep at others.

Secretary of state Marco Rubio looked bored and yawned.

The hardware on show was huge and intimidating but the parade was not on the same level of grandeur and precision as those seen in dictatorships.