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Boston Globe
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Trump is getting his military parade in Washington. On his birthday.
But critics say it is another example of how Trump has politicized the military. The Army estimates the cost at $25 million to $45 million. But it could be higher because the Army has promised to fix any city streets that the parade damages, plus the cost of cleanup and police are not yet part of the estimate. While $45 million is a tiny fraction of Trump's proposed Pentagon budget of $1.01 trillion for fiscal year 2026, it comes as the administration seeks to slash funding for education, health and public assistance. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'It's a lot of money,' the Army spokesperson Steve Warren acknowledged. 'But I think that amount of money is dwarfed by 250 years of service and sacrifice by America's Army.' Advertisement The parade will include tanks, other vehicles, and helicopters. Eric Gay/Associated Press The Army is not calling the event a birthday parade for Trump. It is the Army's birthday parade. The Continental Army was officially formed on June 14, 1775, so June 14 will mark 250 years. Advertisement That also happens to be Trump's birthday. Related : There was no big parade in Washington back when the Army turned 200 in 1975, when Vietnam War scars were still raw. While smaller commemorations were held at Army bases around the country, complete with dinner dances, barbershop quartets and cake cutting, few people were looking to glorify the military so soon after the Kent State shootings. Besides, the country was gearing up for big bicentennial celebrations the next year. If things were going to be similarly low-key this time around, Fort Myer, across the Potomac in Arlington, Virginia, might be an ideal location, 'where the Old Guard could march with some veterans,' said Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the leading Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, in a reference to the 3rd Infantry Regiment, the Army's oldest active duty infantry unit. 'But this is Trump,' Reed added, speaking to reporters last week at the Defense Writers Group. 'It's consistent with so much of what he's doing.' President Trump attended an Independence Day celebration in front of the Lincoln Memorial, July 4, 2019, that featured a flyover by the US Navy Blue Angels. Alex Brandon/Associated Press Army officials say the parade will cross in front of Trump's viewing stand on Constitution Avenue, near the White House, on the evening of Saturday, June 14, part of a big bash on the National Mall. There will be marching troops who will be housed in two government buildings, officials say. They will sleep on military cots and bring their own sleeping bags, a topic of much merriment on late-night television. There will be Paladins, the huge self-propelled howitzers, and nods to vintage style. Army officials want to outfit some troops in uniforms from the wars of long ago, like the one in 1812 or the Spanish-American War. For more than two years, the Army has been planning national, global and even interstellar aspects of the celebration -- an Army astronaut on the International Space Station will be phoning in, Warren said. Advertisement But those planned celebrations focused on festivals, a postal stamp, various fun runs, military bands and the like. At some point this year, Army officials said, a military parade in Washington appeared in the plans. Related : Still, officials say there are no plans at the moment to sing 'Happy Birthday' to Trump, or to the Army, during the parade. One plan does, however, call for paratroopers from the Golden Knights, the Army parachute team, to land amid the festivities and hand Trump a flag. In 2017 during his first term, Trump watched the Bastille Day parade in Paris with President Emmanuel Macron of France and returned home wanting his own. But the Trump 1.0 Pentagon shut him down. Jim Mattis, the defense secretary at the time, said he would 'rather swallow acid,' according to 'Holding the Line,' a book by Guy Snodgrass, Mattis' former speechwriter. 'We're all aware in this country of the president's affection and respect for the military,' Mattis said tersely when reporters asked about Trump's wishes. 'We have been putting together some options. We will send them up to the White House for decision.' President Trump, pictured with French President Emmanuel Macron, watched the Bastille Day parade on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris, on July 14, 2017. Carolyn Kaster/Associated Press Gen. Paul J. Selva, then the vice chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Trump during a meeting at the Pentagon that military parades were 'what dictators do,' according to 'The Divider,' by Peter Baker, a New York Times reporter, and Susan Glasser. When Mattis was gone, Trump brought up the idea again. Mattis' successor, Mark T. Esper, responded with an 'air parade' as part of July 4 celebrations in 2020, Pentagon officials said. An array of fighter jets and other warplanes flew down the East Coast over cities that played roles in the American Revolution, including Boston, New York and Philadelphia. Advertisement Officials in Trump's first Defense Department resisted his parade suggestion -- it was never a direct order -- because they viewed it as putting the military in the middle of politics, something the Pentagon historically has been loath to do. But now Trump has Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and military leaders who have been more willing to put his musings into action. This 'raises the question, 'Is the U.S. military celebrating Trump?'' said Risa Brooks, an associate professor of political science at Marquette University. 'Having tanks rolling down streets of the capital doesn't look like something consistent with the tradition of a professional, highly capable military,' Brooks said in an interview. 'It looks instead like a military that is politicized and turning inwardly, focusing on domestic oriented adversaries instead of external ones.' There have been big American military parades in the past, but the last one was almost 35 years ago, to commemorate the end of the first Gulf War. Military parades in the United States have traditionally followed the end of major conflicts, such as the Civil War and the two World Wars. There were also military parades during three presidential inaugurations during the Cold War. And small-town festivities also sometimes commemorate the military with a few armored vehicles and troops. 'I don't actually see the problem with a military parade,' said Kori Schake, a former defense official in the George W. Bush administration who directs foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute. Schake said more Americans need to see the troops who serve the country. Advertisement 'If seeing our fellow Americans in uniform encourages public knowledge and connection, or inspires volunteering, it would be beneficial,' she said. At the end of the day, 'the military won't die on this hill even if they do not like it,' said Peter Feaver, a political-science professor at Duke University who has studied the military for decades. 'Trump's 2.0 team is better at giving the president what he wants whether or not it is best in the long run.' This article originally appeared in .
Axios
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Army releases tickets for D.C. military parade on June 14
Tickets are now available for the Army's 250th anniversary "Grand Military Parade" on June 14, when 6,700 soldiers and dozens of tanks and war machines will roll through D.C. Why it matters: D.C.'s first military parade since the Gulf War will end with Army parachuters touching down to present President Trump with an American flag on his 79th birthday, officials told reporters Wednesday at the Pentagon. The big picture: From the Revolutionary War to the world wars and beyond, units will march dressed in period attire. It will run on Constitution from 23rd Street to 15th Street. The first Abrams battle tanks destined for D.C. were loaded onto trains in Texas' Fort Cavazos on Wednesday. By the numbers: There will be 28 Abrams tanks taking part in the evening parade. Metal plates will be laid down on the street to prevent damage from the 68-ton machines. Joining in are 28 Bradley fighting vehicles and Stryker armored vehicles, four Paladin howitzers, towed artillery, and multiple infantry squad vehicles, according to Army spokesperson Steve Warren. Plus: 34 horses, two mules, and one dog. A planned flyover will involve more than 50 military helicopters in addition to historical aircraft like a B-25 bomber and P-51 Mustang. Before fireworks, the Army's Golden Knights will parachute down to the Ellipse to present Trump a folded flag. The commander-in-chief will then administer the oath to 250 soldiers. When asked if the Army will mark Trump's birthday: "No plans. This has been the Army's birthday for 240 — we've had 249 previous of these," Warren told reporters. State of play: The Army predicts it will spend $25 million to $45 million on the birthday plans, which include a U.S. Army festival at the National Mall during the day. The military parade is a much more recent addition — an idea aligning with Trump's long desire to hold one. The estimate is a partial accounting; it doesn't include the kind of inauguration-level security that the Secret Service and law enforcement will provide for the parade. (It's classified as a National Special Security Event.) Also TBD: The staging for Trump, who is expected to watch the parade from a stand that's being built on the Ellipse. The Army said the White House is handling its stand. Zoom out: As part of weeklong celebrations, the Army festival is also open to the public pre-parade from 11am to 6pm on the National Mall. Along with exhibits and weapons displays, soldiers will compete in a fitness competition, and the NFL will have a Kids Zone section for family-friendly activities (featuring Commanders head coach Dan Quinn). A concert will include country singers Noah Hicks and Scotty Hasting, and DJ Nyla. Between the lines: The Pentagon is on the hook for any damage to city roads, a concern of Mayor Muriel Bowser. "The Army is responsible for any damage," Col. Jesse Curry of the Army Corps of Engineers told media. Early plans suggested a much longer procession, starting from the Pentagon and going over Memorial Bridge. Heavy vehicles will instead be trucked to a staging point near West Potomac Park — so, no tanks crossing the Potomac. Meanwhile, soldiers will bunk in two government office buildings, sleeping on military cots and eating military MRE meals (they also have a $69 per diem, Warren said).
Boston Globe
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Here's what to expect at the Army's 250th anniversary parade on Trump's birthday
It will include concerts, fireworks, NFL players, fitness competitions and displays all over the National Mall for daylong festivities. The Army expects as many as 200,000 people could attend and that putting on the celebration will cost an estimated $25 million to $45 million. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Here's what to expect during the all-day festival and 6 p.m. parade: Advertisement The tanks and armored vehicles The Army was putting 28 M1 Abrams main battle tanks onto rail cars at Fort Cavazos in Texas on Wednesday. The tanks weigh more than 60 tons apiece and will take about nine or 10 days to travel by rail to Maryland, where they will be loaded onto trucks to be driven into Washington, D.C. and offloaded at a staging area near the Lincoln Memorial. On the day of the parade, those tanks as well as 28 tracked Bradley Fighting Vehicles, 28 wheeled Stryker combat vehicles, four tracked M-109 Paladin self-propelled howitzers and other towed artillery will maneuver to the start of the parade route just off the National Mall. They will travel toward the White House, driving over thick metal plating to protect the streets at some parade points where the vehicles make a sharp turn. Advertisement The Army said it's also planning some additional asphalt work and putting new rubber padding on the tanks' metal tracks to try to minimize street damage. The influx of soldiers More than 6,700 soldiers will travel from bases around the country to participate in the parade and festival and spend June 11-15 housed in two nearby federal buildings, sleeping on cots and having packaged military meals ready-to-eat, or MREs, for breakfast and lunch. They will get a hot meal for dinner and a $69 per diem to buy additional food as they want, Army spokesman Steve Warren said. They will be forming units that represent each of the nation's major conflicts, starting with the Revolutionary War. For each conflict, 60 soldiers will wear period uniforms supplied by an event company representing that war and be followed by 400 soldiers from their same base in present-day uniforms. Not all of the soldiers participating will be in the parade — or even on the ground. For instance, Col. Anne McClain, an Army astronaut currently serving on the International Space Station, will participate. At the end of the parade, the Army's Golden Knights parachute team will jump over the White House, landing near Trump to present him with a folded flag, and 250 new recruits or reenlisting service members will be sworn in to the Army by Trump. The aircraft and helicopters buzzing overhead More than 50 helicopters and aircraft representing different wars will fly over the city — pairing up with the units on the ground as they pass the president. Advertisement For example, as units marching in World War II uniforms pass Trump, a P-51 Mustang fighter aircraft and a B-25 Mitchell bomber aircraft are expected to fly overhead. As units representing more recent conflicts pass, Army H-1 Huey, AH-1 Cobra, AH-64 Apache and CH-47 Chinook helicopters will appear in the sky. The helicopters are flying at a time when sharing D.C.'s airspace is still a sensitive issue after a January collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet killed 67. Warren said the Army has worked closely with the Federal Aviation Administration on routes, and the helicopters will take off from Andrews Air Force Base to fly toward the Capitol. It's likely D.C.'s airspace may be temporarily closed to airline traffic as the sky parade occurs, the Army said.
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.
Washington Post
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Price tag for Trump's military parade could reach $45 million
A massive military parade planned in Washington next month will cost an estimated $25 million to $45 million and will involve dozens of war planes, hundreds of Army vehicles and thousands of soldiers from across the country sleeping in downtown government office buildings, an Army spokesperson said Thursday. The parade, to commemorate the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary, will be held June 14, the same day as President Donald Trump's 79th birthday, and will include representation from all 10 active military divisions, said Army spokesman Steve Warren. The parade's overlap with Trump's birthday has prompted ire, especially at a time when his overhaul of the federal government includes slashing the Department of Veterans Affairs. The president has long mused about soldiers marching and tanks rolling down the streets of the capital and aircraft roaring overhead. Protest plans are also underway. About 3,000 service members will be housed on unused floors of a General Services Administration building and 2,000 in a Department of Agriculture building, Warren said. Most participating service members will arrive a couple of days before the parade, he said, and leave June 16. Vehicles will arrive in the region by rail and be trucked into the city, he said. Participating aircraft will fly in. Overall, 150 vehicles, 50 aircraft and 6,600 soldiers are anticipated to take part in the festivities, the Army has announced. There will be a fireworks display and a day-long festival on the National Mall with military demonstrations, musical performances and a fitness competition. The parade will be part of a week-long celebration marking the anniversary of the Continental Congress's vote to officially create the Continental Army to defend the Colonies from the British. Other events include an Army Birthday run at Fort Myer and a new exhibition at the National Museum of the U.S. Army. Each division is responsible for funding transportation of personnel and equipment to and from the D.C. region. 'They'll fund it, of course, but I think the important note is that it won't affect their ability to train or supply themselves,' Warren said. 'When units need more money, we give them more money.' An application submitted earlier this spring by called for the parade to begin at the Pentagon's north parking lot at 6 p.m., cross the Arlington Memorial Bridge into D.C. and continue on Constitution Avenue NW, ending at 15th Street. The Army's Golden Knights will parachute down to the Ellipse, where there will be a presidential 'review stand,' bleachers and a concert stage, the NPS application says. 'The procession will tell the story of the history of the Army, beginning with the Revolutionary War and concluding with the modern-day Army,' Army spokesperson Heather Hagan said earlier. The Army is working with local law enforcement, the National Park Service, District Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Park Police and D.C. Water, which will assess the roads and bridges, Hagan said. Demonstrators are also planning to protest the parade in D.C. that day. 'The National Protest Against Trump and the War Machine plans to mobilize thousands from across the country to protest the military parade,' said a permit application filed with the National Park Service last week. The last time troops paraded in D.C. was in 1991, when 800,000 people poured into the nation's capital to honor Gulf War service members and watch a seven-block-long display of military equipment.
