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Army parade in US capital to feature tanks on Trump's birthday
Army parade in US capital to feature tanks on Trump's birthday
by AFP Staff Writers
Washington (AFP) May 21, 2025

Tanks, helicopters and troops will parade through Washington next month, the Army said Wednesday, in a display of US military might to celebrate the service's 250th anniversary -- and overseen by President Donald Trump as he marks his own birthday.

The fact that the parade falls on the same day as Trump's birthday is a source of controversy, and protests are being planned when the event -- part of a celebration that is estimated to cost up to $45 million -- is held on June 14.

Twenty-eight M1A1 tanks, 28 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, 28 Strykers and four Paladins will take part in the parade, Army spokesman Steve Warren told journalists.

Additionally, "there's going to be an extensive flyover. More than 50 helicopters will participate, including AH-64 Apaches, UH-60 Blackhawks and CH-47 Chinooks," he said.

Colonel Chris Vitale said the "concept of the parade is to tell the story of the Army through history."

"It'll start with the Revolutionary War, and it'll trace through the major conflicts... and then end with the present day," he said.

Trump had floated the idea of holding a military parade in Washington during his first term after attending a Bastille Day parade in France.

It never materialized, however, after the Pentagon said it could cost $92 million and concerns were raised about damage to the city's streets.

The latest plans for tanks and other heavy vehicles to drive through the US capital have renewed worries over damage to the city's roads.

"Military tanks on our streets would not be good," Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser told journalists last month. "If military tanks were used they should be accompanied with many millions of dollars to repair the roads."

- Fireworks, parachute team -

The Army said Wednesday that metal plates will be used to protect the streets, and that it will be responsible if damage occurs.

"We are targeting those areas that we have concerns (about), which primarily are areas where the tracked vehicles are going to have to turn sharply," Colonel Jesse Curry said.

"In those straightaways where the tanks are just moving forward naturally, we don't expect to have to put any types of protection there, and we're not expecting any damage to the roads," he said.

The Army's birthday celebration will also include a day-long festival on Washington's National Mall and a fireworks display.

Following the parade, the Army's Golden Knights parachute team will jump in and present Trump with a US flag, according to Warren.

He put the total cost of the celebrations at between $25 and $45 million.

The last major US military parade in Washington was held in 1991 to celebrate the end of the Gulf War.

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Price tag for Washington military parade on Trump birthday approaches $45 million
Washington DC (UPI) May 15, 2025
The price tag for President Donald Trump's scheduled military parade in June could top $45 million, according to planning documents. The event is set to take place on June 14th, Trump's 79th birthday, which is also the 250th anniversary of the United States Army, and will feature tanks, warplanes and other military equipment on display in the streets of Washington, as well as 7,500 soldiers stationed in key government office buildings nearby, according to USA Today. Trump's Democratic cr ... read more

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