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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Army, Trump ready June 14th birthday parade with tanks, rocket launchers
June 7 (UPI) -- The U.S. Army celebrates its 250th birthday on June 14th in the nation's capital, which coincides with President Donald Trump's 79th birthday, and will be marked by a parade that may include tanks, rocket launchers and more than 100 military vehicles. With the two birthdays occurring on the same day, the previously scheduled parade that was intended as a relatively small event at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., has grown in size and cost. Up to 300 soldiers and civilians, the U.S. Army Band and four cannons were initially slated to honor the Army's 250th birthday, with seating available for 120 attendees, The Washington Post reported. U.S. Army leaders last year sought a permit for the event, but Trump's election victory has changed its scope, while doubling as an unofficial celebration of the president's birthday. Axios reported the parade will live up to Trump's request for a showcase the U.S. miliatary's might, with dozens of tanks, rocket launchers, missiles and more than 100 other military aircraft and vehicles participating. About 6,600 Army troops will participate, and the Army is paying to house them in area hotels. The parade route has been moved to the northwest portion of Constitution Avenue and will include a flyover of F-22 fighter jets, World War II planes and Vietnam-era aircraft. The event is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. EDT at 23rd Street and continue along Constitution Avenue N.W. to 15th Street. Trump will review the parade on the Ellipse. The event has an estimated cost of nearly $45 million, including more than $10 million for road repairs after the heavy military equipment passes over. The parade's estimated cost has Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., skeptical about its benefits. "I would have recommended against the parade," Wicker told an interviewer on Thursday, but the Department of Defense wants to use it as a recruiting tool. "On the other hand, [Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth] feels that it will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for thousands of young Americans to see what a great opportunity it is to participate in a great military force," Wicker said. "So, we'll see."
Forbes
03-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Criticisms Of Trump's Washington Military Parade Are Not Unprecedented
M1A1 Abraham tanks parade down Constitution avenue in a victory parade in the nation's capital to ... More honor troops that served in the 1991 Gulf War. (Photo by) Holding a large military parade in Washington, DC, featuring tanks, helicopters, and thousands of troops marching arguably lacks a certain level of grace and dignity. It is overly excessive and expensive, especially when those millions of dollars required could be spent on other, more urgent needs of the country. Furthermore, it conjures up images more commonly associated with dictatorial regimes rather than the democratic United States. And the streets of Washington were not built to have tonnes of heavy armor rolling over them. These criticisms sound contemporary in light of President Donald Trump's upcoming June 14 military parade, which will coincide with the 250 anniversary of the U.S. Army's founding and, coincidentally, the president's birthday. However, these were some of the opinions appearing in the U.S. media the last time Washington held a military parade, which took place on the very same month 34 years ago. Trump's characteristically ostentatious parade, which he's wanted to do since his first term, will feature, among other things, '28 Abrams tanks, 6,700 soldiers, 50 helicopters, 34 horses, two mules and a dog,' per the New York Times. It will also feature 28 Stryker armored personnel carriers and 28 Bradley Fighting Vehicles. Even a World War II-era B-25 Mitchell bomber will participate. The 1991 parade, dubbed the National Victory Celebration, was held on June 8, 1991, and marked the first time the capital had seen such an event since the end of the Second World War 46 years earlier. Unlike Trump's parade, the 1991 parade honored a swift American victory in a recent war, the Persian Gulf War, which expelled Saddam Hussein's Iraqi Army from Kuwait, which it had forcibly annexed in 1990. With fireworks and fighter jets putting on a dazzling display overhead, approximately 10,000 U.S. troops marched in the three-hour parade led by Gulf War commander General Norman Schwarzkopf. President George H.W. Bush observed from a bulletproof reviewing stand. Abrams tanks in desert camouflage and Bradleys also rolled past cheering crowds. Even the MIM-104 Patriot air defense system, which became a household name in 1991 for its purported success intercepting Iraqi Scud missiles over Israel and Saudi Arabia, made an appearance. A total of 82 military aircraft of various types that served in the war, including the iconic F-117 Nighthawk stealth bomber, flew over Washington landmarks. A selection of the aircraft which flew in Operation Desert Storm, fly over the Washington Monument ... More during the Victory Parade of June 8, 1991. (Photo by) Cheered on by at least 200,000 people, the parade lasted three hours. By the end of the fireworks display later that day, at least 800,000 had gathered on each side of the Potomac River to enjoy the rare event. Not to be outdone, New York City held a parade of its own two days later featuring another fireworks display and an estimated 6,000 tons of confetti. Unlike its Washington predecessor, the New York parade did not feature any tanks trundling down the streets or military aircraft flying overhead, given the city's ubiquitous skyscrapers. There were minimal protests throughout the main Washington parade. Anti-war activists gave speeches in Lafayette Park, away from the parade route, but that was about it. Nevertheless, several press editorials critiqued the parade before, during, and after, using similar criticisms to those currently leveled at President Trump's upcoming event. One letter to the editor of the Intelligencer Journal argued that the parade lacked 'grace, dignity befitting a great nation.' 'Those who are inclined to support this parade might consider that its closest parallel is the old Soviet Russian May Day Parade,' the letter added. An editorial by Donald Kaul after the two parades even likened them to 'Nuremberg rallies for Republicans,' adding that the sight of Americans cheering at tanks made him 'feel like an Argentine.' Critics today charge that Trump's parade is 'something that you would expect to see in countries like North Korea or the old Soviet Union or today's Russia.' The $12 million price tag for the 1991 parade also drew some criticism at the time, which invariably argued that the money would have been better spent on education. Included in the $45 million overall cost of Trump's upcoming parade is $16 million for repairing any street damage caused by the heavy tanks—the Abrams weighs approximately 70 tons. The army has already placed steel plates along the parade route to try and minimize potential damage, a measure that costs an estimated $3 million alone. Unsurprisingly, the likely damage caused by Abrams tanks driving down Washington's civilian streets was also an issue raised back in 1991. Ahead of the parade, engineers had to determine how many Abrams tanks the Memorial Bridge over the Potomac could safely hold without causing a collapse. They concluded it could manage one going no faster than 30 miles per hour at a time. Doubtlessly similar calculations are being made again today.
Epoch Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
🎧 GOP Megabill, Trade Deals and the Question of Executive Power: This Week in Politics
Epoch Times reporter Lawrence Wilson joins Constitution Avenue to break down the 'One Big, Beautiful Bill' and why the Democrats oppose it. Jacob recaps the ongoing trade deals and tariffs, and how stores such as Target, Walmart and Best Buy are affected. Sam looks at the challenges facing President Donal Trump as he tries to fire certain top bureaucrats within his administration—and what this could mean for presidential power. Reports Covered: What's in Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill'? ( ) House Passes Trump Agenda Bill in Early Morning Vote ( ) Supreme Court Allows Trump to Remove Protected Status for Venezuelans ( ) Trump Firings Could Prompt Supreme Court Decision on Presidential Power ( ) If you'd like to support our independent journalism, give us a 5-star rating on or .
Reuters
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
US Army has no plans to celebrate Trump's birthday on 250th anniversary
WASHINGTON, May 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. Army said on Wednesday it has no plans to recognize President Donald Trump's birthday on June 14 when he presides over part of the Army's celebrations of its 250th anniversary. Trump, who is turning 79 on the same day, will play a big role in the celebrations, which will see Army soldiers parachuting in to present him with a folded flag. The Army will also hold a parade down Washington's Constitution Avenue, one of the main thoroughfares that cuts through the capital. The parade was not part of the original planning for the June 14 celebrations and was added this year, stoking criticism from Democratic lawmakers and others that Trump has hijacked the event. Asked if there were any plans by the Army to recognize the president's birthday, Steve Warren, an Army spokesperson, said: "I don't think we have a plan for that. "This has been the Army's birthday. ... We've had 249 previous of these," Warren told reporters at the Pentagon. "We're excited that the commander-in-chief is interested in the Army's 250th anniversary and that he will want to view it." The celebrations will cost the Army between $25 million and $45 million and will see M1A1 Abrams tanks and other heavy vehicles participating in a parade meant to honor the Army's history. Army officials said they were taking steps to protect the streets of Washington, D.C., from any potential damage caused by the tanks, including putting metal plates in some areas. No damage is anticipated, but the Army will pay for any unexpected repairs if needed.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
They love a parade: President Trump and US Army to celebrate their June 14 birthdays
WASHINGTON — The Army is planning a major parade at the urging of the White House on June 14 — the day the service shares a birthday with President Donald Trump, according to a U.S. official. Plans for the parade include 6,000 soldiers, helicopters, and armored vehicles, including Strykers, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, and possibly Abrams M-1 tanks, said the official who was not authorized to speak publicly. The Army had been planning a major celebration for its 250th anniversary on June 14 when White House officials suggested a parade. Soldiers march in presidential inaugural events, but it's unclear if they have participated in a presidential birthday celebration. The official cautioned that plans for the parade remain tentative, but the event appears likely to happen. The Associated Press first reported the parade plans. It is likely to cost millions of dollars, and the parade route is planned to go through the heart of Washington, DC, along Constitution Avenue, the official said. During his first term, Trump appeared at the July 4 celebration in Washington. And the military supplied equipment, including Bradleys, at his request, as well as flyovers. He was criticized for politicizing the Independence Day event. There was also concern about damage caused to city streets by heavy armor, so the vehicles remained immobile, on display, so as not to chew up pavement. The Army is planning a number of other events to celebrate its anniversary apart from the parade. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Birthday bash: President Donald Trump and Army plan June 14 parade
