US to stage military parade on June 14, Trump's birthday

[june04]

The United States will stage a military parade on June 14 to mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Army, the White House announced Friday. The event also coincides with President Donald Trump's 79th birthday.

"Trump will honor American veterans, active-duty servicemembers, and military history with a military parade!" White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly posted on X.

In addition to the parade, the celebration will include fireworks and a festival on the National Mall, according to U.S. Army spokeswoman Heather Hagan.

"Given the significant milestone of 250 years, the Army is exploring options to make the celebration even bigger, with more capability demonstrations, additional displays of equipment, and more engagement with the community," Hagan said.

She added that the Army anticipates "approximately 150 vehicles, 50 aircraft, and 6,600 soldiers" participating in the parade. Planning is currently underway.

Trump had previously floated the idea of holding a military parade in Washington during his first term after attending a Bastille Day parade in France. That plan never materialized due to the Pentagon’s $92 million cost estimate and concerns about damage to city streets from heavy vehicles like tanks.

Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser echoed similar concerns when asked about the current plans. "Military tanks on our streets would not be good," she said. "If military tanks were used they should be accompanied with many millions of dollars to repair the roads."

“We Never Celebrate Anything”

The last major military parade in Washington took place in 1991 to mark the end of the Gulf War.

The parade announcement came just a day after Trump declared May 8 as "Victory Day" for World War II and said he would rename Veterans Day (currently November 11) as "Victory Day" for World War I.

On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump criticized past leaders for failing to properly commemorate U.S. victories. "We won both Wars, nobody was close to us in terms of strength, bravery, or military brilliance, but we never celebrate anything — That’s because we don’t have leaders anymore, that know how to do so! We are going to start celebrating our victories again!" he wrote.

Controversial Military Leadership Moves

Trump has had a complicated relationship with the U.S. military — praising its strength while also claiming it was weakened and in need of rebuilding. During his first term, he clashed with several top military officials and was accused of disparaging fallen troops — an allegation he has denied.

In his second term, Trump has carried out a sweeping reshuffle of the military’s top ranks. This year alone, he has fired General Charles "CQ" Brown, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, without explanation, along with the heads of the Navy and Coast Guard.

Other senior officials dismissed include the general who led the National Security Agency, the vice chief of staff of the Air Force, a NATO-assigned Navy admiral, and three top military lawyers.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the moves, saying Trump is selecting leaders who align with his vision. However, Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns about the growing politicization of the traditionally apolitical U.S. military.