Military parade with tanks, jets and troops to mark Trump’s 79th birthday in Washington

The twin celebrations of US President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday and the 250th anniversary of the United States Army will be marked with a major military-themed event in Washington on June 14, which could cost between $25 million and $45 million, US officials told Reuters on May 14.

The event, to be held on the National Mall, is set to include a full-scale military parade featuring approximately 25 M1 Abrams tanks, according to two officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The tanks will join more than 6,500 troops, around 150 military vehicles, and 50 aircraft in a large show of military presence in the US capital.

The Army had already planned a significant display of troops and equipment in Washington to commemorate its 250th anniversary. However, with the date coinciding with President Trump’s birthday, the plans were expanded to include a celebratory parade, blending the military commemoration with a tribute to the former president.

One of the officials noted that the inclusion of the parade added several million dollars to the overall cost of the celebration. Importantly, the estimated figure does not include potential additional costs for the city of Washington, such as road repair for damage caused by heavy military equipment or post-event cleanup expenses.

Critics have sharply condemned the parade, calling it a wasteful display of authoritarian-style power at a time when Trump has pledged to cut government spending across various departments. They argue that such grand military parades are rare in the United States and are more often associated with regimes that use them to project strength or celebrate military victories.

During his first term, Trump had pushed for a military parade after being impressed by France’s Bastille Day celebrations in 2017, where he watched alongside French President Emmanuel Macron as troops and military vehicles marched along the Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris. That proposal was ultimately shelved due to cost concerns, with initial estimates reaching as high as $90 million.

Instead, Trump held a more modest display of military equipment during a Fourth of July event in 2019, which included stationary tanks and flyovers by military aircraft.

The last major US military parade occurred in 1991, when tanks and thousands of American troops marched through Washington to celebrate the Gulf War victory and the expulsion of Saddam Hussein’s forces from Kuwait.

By Tamilla Hasanova