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.

NBC News' Jacob Soboroff reports from Los Angeles City Hall where thousands of protesters have gathered for a 'No Kings' protest against the Trump administration and ahead of the president's Washington D.

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.

As a military parade rolls through Washington, DC, on Saturday – President Donald Trump’s birthday – millions of Americans are expected to protest in what organizers predict will be the strongest display of opposition to Trump’s administration since he took office in January.

While many demonstrations against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency have been peaceful, with marchers chanting slogans and carrying signs, others have led to clashes with police who have sometimes used chemical irritants to disperse crowds. Hundreds have been arrested.

Despite peaceful demonstrations reported in multiple cities, violence flared at some anti-Trump protests over the weekend.

The power of the US military will be sharply on display this weekend – on two different coasts and in two very different ways.