Army advances with Trump’s Birthday Parade Plan: Report
A new report by the Associated Press shows that President Donald Trump’s potential birthday parade will feature 6,600 soldiers.
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The US Army plans to celebrate its 250th anniversary with a gorgeous procession passing through the streets of the country’s capital, a date coinciding with President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday.
The parade concludes a week of programming designed to celebrate the country’s military power, with Army equipment, elevated roads, musical performances and thousands of soldiers dressed in uniforms of the past and present. Trump tried to hold the military parade in his first term to commemorate the 100th anniversary of World War I, but was abandoned after a pushback to costs and logistics from DC officials.
The day’s celebrations and parades are expected to be a massive military sight and an informal birthday party. The parade procession is scheduled to take place near the National Mall in Washington, D.C., particularly between 15th Avenue and 23rd Avenue NW.
“The event is designed not only to showcase the modern capabilities of the Army, but to inspire a new generation to embrace the spirit of service, resilience and leadership that defines America,” according to a May 21 statement on the event organizer’s website. “The parade traces the evolution of the army from the Revolutionary War into the US military tomorrow.”
What does the parade celebrate?
The parade is on the same day as the president’s 79th birthday, but the event organizers and administrative authorities say it’s just to celebrate the US military.
Vince Haley, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, said Trump is planning a “historic celebration of the Army’s 250th birthday.”
“As one of the first events of the year-long celebration of the 250th anniversary, this commemorative parade is a fitting respect for the service, sacrifice and selflessness of brave men and women to defend Liberty’s greatest experiment known to humans,” he said.
What day will the parade be held on June 14th?
On June 14, 1775, the Second Continental Congress voted to establish the Continental Army, and organizers said it marked the creation of America’s first national military force more than a year before the Declaration of Independence.
Trump is expected to make statements celebrating 250 years of the US military, organizers said at statements and other celebration events that are expected to focus on the various achievements and legacy of the branch. However, the Navy, celebrating its 250th anniversary in October, has no plans for a similar parade, a spokesman told USA Today.
Contributions: Cybele Mayes-Osterman, Tom Vanden Brook, Amaris Encinas, USA Today.
Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA Today. You can contact her kapalmer@usatoday.com And with x @Kathrynplmr.
