In President Trump’s first term, the Pentagon opposed his desire for a military parade in Washington, wanting to keep the armed forces outside politics.
But in Mr. Trump’s second term, this railings disappeared. There will be a parade this year, and the president’s 79th anniversary, no less.
The current plan implies a formidable scene in the center of Washington: 28 Abrams M1A1 tanks (at 70 tonnes each for the heaviest in service); 28 Stryker armored troops; more than 100 other vehicles; A B-25 bomber from the First World War; 6,700 soldiers; 50 helicopters; 34 horses; two mules; and a dog.
The map shows the route of the military parade in Washington, DC
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But criticism say that this is another example of how Mr. Trump politicized the army.
The army estimates the cost of $ 25 million at $ 45 million. But this could be higher because the army has promised to repair the streets of the city than the damage of the parade, as well as the cost of cleaning and the police are not yet part of the estimate. While $ 45 million is a tiny fraction of the Pentagon budget proposed by Trump of 1.01 Billion of dollars for the year 2026, it happens that the administration seeks to reduce funding for education, health and public assistance.
“It’s a lot of money,” said army spokesman Steve Warren. “But I think this amount of money is overshadowed by 250 years of service and sacrifice by the US military.”
The army does not call the event a birthday parade for Trump. It is the anniversary parade of the army. The continental army was officially formed on June 14, 1775, so June 14 will mark 250 years.
It turns out that it is also Mr. Trump’s birthday.
There were no big parade in Washington when the army was 200 years old in 1975, when Vietnam’s war scars were still raw. While smaller commemorations have taken place in army bases across the country, with dinner dances, quatuors of the hair salon and a cake cup, few people were trying to glorify the army so shortly after Kent’s state shots. In addition, the country was preparing for major bicentennial celebrations next year.
If things were going to be so discreet this time, Fort Myer, through the Potomac in Arlington, in Virginia, could be an ideal place, “where the old guard could walk with veterans,” said Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the main democrat of the armed committee of armed services, in a reference to the 3rd Infanque regiment, the oldest army service committee.
“But it’s Trump,” said Reed, speaking to journalists last week to the group of defense writers. “This corresponds to a large part of what he does.”
Army officials claim that the parade will come across before Mr. Trump’s viewing stand on Constitution Avenue, near the White House, the evening of Saturday June 14, part of a big blow in the National Mall.
There will be walking troops that will be hosted in two government buildings, according to officials. They will sleep on military beds and bring their own sleeping bags, a very cheerful subject on television late at night.
There will be paladins, the huge self -propelled howles and nodd in vintage style. Army officials want to equip troops in uniforms of the wars of a long time ago, like that of 1812 or the Hispanian-American war.
For more than two years, the army has been planning national, global and even interstellar aspects of the celebration – an army astronaut at the international space station, said Warren.
But these planned celebrations focused on festivals, a postal stamp, various fun races, military and other groups. At one point this year, army officials said a military parade in Washington appeared in the plans.
However, officials say that there is no project for the moment to sing “happy birthday” to Mr. Trump, or to the army, during the parade. However, a plan calls paratroopers from the Golden Knights, the army parachute team, to land in the midst of the festivities and give Trump a flag.
In 2017, during his first mandate, Trump watched the parade of the Bastille day in Paris with President Emmanuel Macron from France and returned to his home in wanting his. But the Pentagon Trump 1.0 closed it. Jim Mattis, the Secretary of Defense at the time, said that he “prefers acid”, according to “Holding The Line”, a book by Guy Snodgrass, the former speech editor of Mr. Mattis.
“We are all aware in this country of affection and respect of the president for the military,” said Mattis when the journalists asked the wishes of Mr. Trump. “We have set up options. We will send them to the White House for decision. ”
General Paul J. SELVA, then vice-president of joint staff chiefs, told Trump at a pentagon meeting that military parades were “what dictators do”, according to “The Divider”, by Peter Baker, journalist of the New York Times, and Susan Glasser.
When Mattis disappeared, Trump again spoke about the idea. The successor of Mr. Mattis, Mark T. Esper, replied with an “air parade” as part of the celebrations of July 4 in 2020, said Pentagon officials. A range of fighter planes and other war planes stole the east coast in cities that played a role in the American revolution, notably Boston, New York and Philadelphia.
Trump’s first Ministry of Defense Ministry of Defense have resisted his suggestion as a parade – this was never a direct order – because they considered it to put the military in the middle of politics, which the Pentagon has historically hated.
But now, Trump has the defense secretary Pete Hegseth and the military leaders who have so far been more willing to put his reflections in action.
This “raises the question”, does the American army famous Trump? “Said Risa Brooks, associate professor of political science at Marquette University.
“Having tanks flowing in the streets of the capital does not look like something compatible with the tradition of a professional and very competent soldier,” said Dr. Brooks in an interview. “It is rather like a soldier who is politicized and who turns internally, focusing on domestic oriented opponents instead of external adversaries.”
There have been major American military parades in the past, but the last one was almost 35 years ago, to commemorate the end of the First Gulf War. Military parades in the United States have traditionally followed the end of major conflicts, such as civil war and the two world wars. There were also military parades during three presidential inaugurations during the Cold War. And small town festivities also commemorate the soldiers with some armored vehicles and troops.
“I do not really see the problem with a military parade,” said Kori Schake, a former defense manager for the George W. Bush administration who heads for foreign and defense policy at the American Enterprise Institute. Dr. Schake said that more Americans were to see the troops that serve the country.
“If seeing our American colleagues in uniform encourages public knowledge and connection, or inspires volunteering, it would be beneficial,” she said.
At the end of the day, “the army will not die on this hill even if they do not like it,” said Peter Feaver, professor of political science at Duke University who has studied the army for decades. “Trump’s 2.0 team is better to give the president what he wants, whether it is the best in the long term.”