Robert Besser
12 Apr 2025, 01:33 GMT+10
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The Trump administration is in early talks about holding a large military parade in Washington, D.C., this summer—a longtime dream of President Donald Trump.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the city had been contacted about a possible parade on June 14. The route would start in Arlington, Virginia, near the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery, and cross into Washington.
The Army is also talking about adding a parade to its 250th birthday celebration on June 14, though no final decisions have been made, according to a defense official. June 14 is also Trump's 79th birthday.
The White House said no military parade is officially planned yet.
The Army birthday event has been in the works for two years and is set to include activities on the National Mall, like displays of armored vehicles, Humvees, helicopters, and other equipment.
Army spokesperson Col. David Butler said it's too early to say if there will be a parade, but the Army is working with the White House and other agencies to make the celebration a major national event.
Trump proposed a big military parade in his first term after watching France's Bastille Day parade in 2017. He wanted something even more significant in Washington. However, the idea was dropped due to high costs—once estimated at $92 million—and planning challenges.
In 2018, Trump tweeted that he had canceled the parade because local officials charged him a cost that was "ridiculously high."
Mayor Bowser said Monday she doesn't know if this is officially being called a military parade, but warned that tanks rolling through city streets could damage the roads. "If they're used, they should come with millions of dollars to fix the streets," she said.
Takis Karantonis, head of the Arlington County Board, confirmed that the Secret Service contacted him last Friday about a possible parade but didn't share more details. He said the federal government should consider how such an event might affect military families, especially with recent job cuts in federal programs.
Bowser didn't sound strongly for or against the event, but D.C. officials mocked the idea during Trump's first term. In 2019, the city's official Twitter account joked during a snowstorm that schools were open—but "The Giant Tank Parade: Still cancelled."
Washington City Paper first reported the latest parade discussions over the weekend.
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