6,600 Troops to march in military parade on Donald Trump's 79th birthday
A costly military celebration will roll through Washington on President Trump's 79th birthday, marking a historic milestone for the
US Army
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On Friday, the US Army confirmed that a large-scale parade will take place on 14 June — coinciding with both the Army's 250th birthday and President Donald Trump's own 79th. The parade will feature 6,600 soldiers, 150 military vehicles, and 50 helicopters. The procession is set to begin in Arlington, Virginia, and conclude on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Army spokesman Steve Warren said in a statement, 'A spectacular fireworks display, a parade, and a daylong festival on the National Mall' will mark the occasion.
Parade plans finalised after last-minute push
The decision to hold the parade comes after recent planning discussions between Trump and Pentagon officials. Talks reportedly began less than two months ago, even though the Army's anniversary festival had been in the works for over a year without initially including a large-scale parade.
According to documents dated 29 and 30 April, reviewed by the Associated Press, the parade will include soldiers from at least 11 different corps and divisions. This includes a Stryker battalion with two companies of Stryker vehicles, a tank battalion, Paladin artillery units, Howitzers, and infantry battalions equipped with Bradley vehicles.
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Planners aim to avoid bridge damage by having heavy tracked vehicles like tanks join the route near the Lincoln Memorial rather than crossing the bridge from Arlington.
Political optics amid Pentagon budget cuts
The announcement has drawn criticism due to its expected cost — estimated to run into tens of millions of dollars — coming at a time when the federal government is slashing spending across departments.
Thousands of public sector workers have lost their jobs, including many civilians working in the Department of Defense. These cuts have been overseen by Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, which is led by Elon Musk.
Despite the austerity drive, White House officials confirmed to Fox News Digital that the parade will be 'one of the first events' kicking off a year-long celebration of America's 250th anniversary.
Local concerns over infrastructure and cost
DC city officials, including Mayor Muriel Bowser, were contacted by the administration in April regarding the proposed parade. Bowser was not enthusiastic about the inclusion of tanks on city streets.
'If military tanks were used, they should be accompanied with many millions of dollars to repair the roads,' she said.
Concerns about infrastructure damage and costs are not new. A similar parade proposed by Trump during his first term — inspired by the Bastille Day parade in Paris — was cancelled in 2018 after projected costs reached $92 million. Trump had blamed the cancellation on 'local politicians who wanted to gouge the government.'
A festival packed with spectacle
The Army's birthday celebrations will not be limited to military machinery. Festival events include capability demonstrations, military music performances, a fitness competition, and a parachute jump by the elite Golden Knights.
Historical military vehicles and aircraft are expected to be on display, along with participants from veterans' groups, military academies, and historical re-enactment organisations.
Planning documents note that the parade has been submitted for classification as a 'national special security event,' a designation that heightens federal security oversight. The request is currently under review by the National Park Service.
Trump's longstanding dream realised
Trump's fascination with military pageantry dates back to 2017, when he attended France's Bastille Day celebrations. 'It was a two-hour parade on the Champs-Élysées. I want one like that, but grander,' he had reportedly told aides.
That vision is now being realised. With thousands of troops, tanks, helicopters, and a full day of festivities, the parade on 14 June will be the centrepiece of a celebration that is as much about military pride as it is about political spectacle.
And this time, the President will be watching not from abroad, but from the heart of the capital — on his own birthday.
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