BURSTMore than 7,000 soldiers will reportedly be housed in government office buildings for a major military parade next month to mark the Army’s 250th anniversary.
The parade, which will also fall on President Trump’s birthday, is expected to feature tanks, military planes and other equipment on the National Mall, according to planning documents obtained by USA Today. The total cost of the parade will be roughly $30 million, but may increase.
USA Today reported that soldiers and equipment are expected to arrive in Washington in the days leading up to the June 14 parade. The news outlet reported that there will be 120 military vehicles in town for the event, including 24 Abrams tanks and howitzer cannons.
Trump is expected to observe the parade from a viewing stand along Constitution Avenue near the White House. The parade will conclude with fireworks at dusk, USA Today reported.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the plans.
An Army official previously confirmed to The Hill that the parade will stretch almost 4 miles, from the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., to the White House.
Democrats and critics have questioned both the cost of the parade and whether it politicizes the military, which has traditionally been nonpartisan. The fact that the parade falls on Trump’s birthday has only fueled criticism from Democrats who view it as a way for the president to celebrate himself.
The president in a recent “Meet the Press” interview said the parade would mark Flag Day, which also falls on June 14. The cost of the parade, Trump said, would be “peanuts compared to the value of doing it.”
“We have the greatest missiles in the world. We have the greatest submarines in the world. We have the greatest army tanks in the world,” Trump said. “We have the greatest weapons in the world. And we’re going to celebrate it.
Trump has previously spoken fondly about the military displays on Bastille Day in France, which he attended in 2017.
Trump in 2019 hosted what was dubbed a “Salute to America” on the Fourth of July. The event featured tanks on the National Mall and flyovers, with Trump delivering remarks.