Trump Parade, Army 250th: $45M, Weeklong Festivities

A large military parade is scheduled in Washington, D.C. on June 14 to mark both the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary and former President Donald Trump's 79th birthday, with costs estimated between $25 million and $45 million. The event will showcase up to 25 M1 Abrams tanks, 150 military vehicles, 50 aircraft including vintage World War II bombers and modern helicopters, and more than 7,500 soldiers, many temporarily housed in government buildings. Festivities will include period-uniformed marchers, military demonstrations, parachute jumpers, fireworks, musical performances, a National Mall festival, and a soldier enlistment ceremony with Trump expected to preside. Critics have raised concerns about the high costs, potential street damage from heavy vehicles, and the event's timing alongside proposed cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs. The cost estimates do not include post-event cleanup or road repairs. The parade is part of a week-long series of celebrations commemorating the Army’s founding in 1775.