The US Army is planning a parade with the participation of at least 6,500 soldiers, about 150 vehicles and 50 aircraft, to “double” the celebration of President Donald Trump’s birthday and the 250th anniversary of the establishment of the Armed Forces, according to officials.
The various branches of the Armed Forces boast of their history, and the anniversaries, called “birthdays” in military circles, are celebrated on many bases around the world.
The US Army has long been planning to move units and equipment to Nassio Mol in Washington in June as part of a celebration for its anniversary. Officials, who asked not to be named, said that the planning now includes a military parade because the “birthday” of the army coincide with those of Trump.
According to a document seen by the Reuters agency, there will be a week of festivities that will culminate with the June 14 parade. One official said the latest plans include many thousands of soldiers and dozens of military vehicles that would not be needed if the parade was not made. He noted that all this is still in the design phase and can change. It remains unclear whether the parade was a White House request or something the army thought on its own.
The same official said the plan has not yet been approved by the White House or by senior Pentagon executives. The White House has confirmed that Trump would organize a military parade for veterans and serving, without further clarification. It is also not clear how much this celebration will cost.
He likes the parades
In the past, Trump did not hide his desire to organize military parades. During his first term, he ordered the Pentagon to consider the possibility of organizing a “military power” demonstration after traveling to France, where he attended, along with President Emmanuel Macron, the large military parade on Elysia Avenue. The show he wished would cost $ 90 million. Eventually, he was reconciled with a parade of chariots and other vehicles as part of the July 4th celebration in Washington in 2019.
Military parades in the US are very rare. In other countries they are usually made to celebrate wins in wars or as a demonstration of military power. In 1991, tanks and thousands of soldiers marched in Washington to celebrate the expulsion of Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi forces in Kuwait in the first Gulf War.
SOURCE: RES-EIA
