Trump’s Birthday Bash: US Army’s $45,000,000 250th Anniversary Parade Is Coming

Key Points – A massive military parade is scheduled for June 14th in Washington D.C. to mark the US Army’s 250th birthday, an event that also falls on President Trump’s 79th birthday.

-The parade, with an estimated cost of $25-$45 million, will showcase 6,600 soldiers in historical and modern uniforms, 150 vehicles including M1 Abrams tanks, and 50 aircraft.

-While planning for the Army’s anniversary began in early 2024, the scale of the event has reportedly expanded under President Trump, a known enthusiast of military parades.

-Critics have decried the expenditure, though the White House views it as a fitting tribute.

Army’s 250th Birthday Parade On Trump’s Birthday Will Be Expensive

The US Army is older than the country itself. To honor the Army on its 250th birthday, which also happens to fall on President Trump’s 79th birthday, there is scheduled to be a massive parade on June 14 in Washington, D.C.

According to the Army, the military parade and festivities scheduled for June could cost between $25 million and $45 million.

An Army spokesperson confirmed to The Hill that the June 14 parade, which will mark the service’s 250th anniversary, could cost up to $45 million, including a concert and fireworks show.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said the cost will be “shared by the Department of the Army and the US Semiquincentennial Commission.”

“President Trump will commemorate the United States Army’s birthday with a military parade that honors all who served since our great nation was founded 250 years ago,” Kelly said.

“There is no event grand enough to adequately capture our gratitude for the millions of heroes who laid down their lives defending our freedom, but this parade will be a fitting tribute to the service, sacrifice, and selflessness of all who have worn the uniform.”

But many critics want to know if it is really necessary.

Planning Began More Than A Year Ago:

While the media has broadly labeled this as “Trump’s parade,” this was in the midst of planning more than a year ago.

Planning for the Army’s 250th anniversary celebration, which includes a parade, began in early 2024. The planning process involved local law enforcement, the National Park Service, the District Department of Transportation, and other relevant agencies, according to The Washington Post.

However, it is also undoubtedly true that the scope of the parade has definitely increased now that President Trump is in office. It is no secret that the president loves a military parade.

In 2017, he was incredibly impressed with the pomp and ceremony of the French Bastille Day parade and stated at the time that the US should try to top it with a Fourth of July parade.

Eight years later, that is happening.

All Uniforms and Period Dress Will Be Showcased

The parade will also involve thousands of troops marching in uniforms in formation to represent every US conflict since the Revolutionary War, which began in 1775.

Each war will have 60 troops in period costume, followed by 400 troops in regular battle dress uniforms from that same unit. For example, the Civil War will be represented by the Army’s 4th Infantry Division, based in Fort Carson, Colorado, with 60 soldiers wearing historical costumes and 400 in today’s uniforms.

The parade is expected to have 6,600 soldiers, 150 vehicles, including up to 25 M-1 Abrams tanks, and 50 aircraft, and will stretch nearly 4 miles from the Pentagon to the White House.

The troops will be housed in government buildings for their stay in the D.C. area. An Army official said on Friday that about 3,000 soldiers are planned to sleep in parts of a General Services Administration building, while another 2,000 would be at the Agriculture Department. The official added that those figures are subject to change as they are still in the planning process.

Precautions Taken To Protect DC Streets From Tank Treads

One issue with rolling M1 tanks on the nation’s capital’s streets is how badly tank treads will tear up the streets, especially where they turn. The Army has prepared for this.

The Army will place large metal plates at key points on the route through the D.C. streets to better protect them. The official said that each plate weighs hundreds of pounds and will be placed at points along the parade route where the tanks will turn and where their metal and rubber-shod tracking that helps them move can do the most damage.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said funding to repair any damage the tanks may do to the city’s streets should also be part of the plans.

Despite the protests of Trump’s enemies in Congress, Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee called the plan wasteful, writing, “The egotist-in-chief wants taxpayers to foot the bill for a military parade on his birthday,” Cohen and others ignore the fact that it is the Army’s 250th birthday too, which is a significant event.

The country will celebrate its 250th birthday on July 4th, later next year. These are significant milestones in our nation’s history, so they should be recognized and celebrated.

Are they overdone because of the president’s love of parades, which fall on his birthday? Absolutely. However, both can be true. Rather than parading M1s through D.C., a static display of them at the parade’s end would have been a better option.

About the Author:

Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.

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