It’s been reported that the Trump administration will host a military parade that will take place on the 14th of June this year in honor of the 250th anniversary of the United States’ army and President Trump’s 79th birthday.
According to other reports, the parade is expected to stretch four miles in distance, starting at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and culminating at the White House.
While the exact route has not yet been confirmed, the four-mile distance seemingly has been confirmed by an Army official, according to a report by The Hill.
Why is the Trump administration planning a military parade?
According to another source, President Trump has been very interested in hosting a military parade in D.C. since he witnessed the Bastille Day military parade in Paris, France, in 2017.
Shortly after that event, Trump made quick work of trying to bring a military parade to the streets of the District, however, the plans were scrapped after military leaders calculated the costs of the parade ($92 million) and public safety measures ($21 million) would be well over $100 million of taxpayer dollars.
This time around, there has been relatively no pushback from D.C. government or military officials.
While Mayor Bowser was happy to speak out against the parade plans during Trump’s first term (see below), there has yet to be a similar reaction this time around.
According to local officials in the D.C. and Arlington County governments, a “heads up” was given to them on Friday, April 4th, about the parade, but the notice did not request any local assistance.
Is Trump planning the military parade for his birthday?
While there is an obvious and hard-to-escape coincidence that President Trump’s 79th birthday falls on the same date as the Army’s 250th anniversary, there has been no official statement from the Trump administration clarifying whether Trump’s birthday impacted the decision-making for the parade’s date.
How much would the military parade cost?
If the military parade that the Trump administration is planning comes to fruition, the price point could be over $120 million, assuming the same price tags as initially estimated in 2018 and accounting for inflation.
The additional costs associated with the parade, such as any damages sustained to the roads from heavy military machinery or the costs of ensuring adequate public safety measures during the event, could add $20 million to the estimated cost.
Notably, this all comes only just months after a U.S. military helicopter collided with American Airlines Flight 5342 near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, killing all 67 passengers in the two vehicles.
When was the last time a military parade was held in D.C.?
A military parade has not been held in Washington, D.C. since 1991, when a military parade was carried out on June 8th to celebrate the conclusion of the Gulf War.
The event was referred to as the “National Victory Celebration” and featured around 8,000 troops, tanks and other heavy military machinery, flyovers, and more.
You can get a view of what the 1991 parade looked like here:
What roads are going to be closed for the parade?
Currently, the exact route of the proposed parade has not been confirmed.
All we know is that the parade “will start at the Pentagon and end at the White House”, per the Washington City Paper.
As details about this parade emerge, we will be sure to keep you updated about potential road closures or other impacts that this could have on those living or working in the D.C. and Arlington areas.