Balloons, tanks, reenactments and a multi-million dollar spectacle are set to roll down Washington, D.C.’s Constitution Avenue in June in a celebration marking the Army’s 250th anniversary, a milestone that also coincides with President Donald Trump’s birthday. A new report revealed that top donors helping fund the event will receive VIP perks.
The June 14 parade, organized by the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission and branded “America 250,” promises grand military pageantry.
“America’s 250th anniversary is about more than reflecting on our past,” Rosie Rios, chair of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, said. “And imagining what the next 250 years might look like for our children and the generations to come.”
Private donors offered VIP access
According to The Wall Street Journal, donors backing the event will receive VIP access to several key moments, including the parade, a readiness demonstration at Fort Bragg and Independence Day festivities.
The U.S. Army and the commission overseeing America’s 250th birthday are funding the event, which they estimate will cost between $25 million and $45 million. It will feature military flyovers, historical re-enactments and armored vehicles.
Tanks, aircraft and a four-mile route
A White House official said the parade will include 150 military vehicles, 50 aircraft and a four-mile route stretching from the Pentagon to the White House. Officials expect many of the troops to stay in government buildings, including one operated by the General Services Administration and another by the Agriculture Department.
“There is no event grand enough to adequately capture our gratitude for the millions of heroes who laid down their lives defending our freedom, but this parade will be a fitting tribute to the service, sacrifice, and selflessness of all who have worn the uniform,” a White House spokesperson said.
According to USA Today, some Democrats and other critics said the parade is more about Trump than the military.
“This is all about his ego and making everything about him,” Rhode Island Democratic Sen. Jack Reed said. “The only thing he’d be disappointed about is that he couldn’t fly his plane over the parade.”
Trump, who has long supported large military displays like those in Russia and other countries, praised the upcoming celebration. He made the remarks during a May 5 event, during which he also announced that Washington, D.C. will host the 2027 NFL Draft.
“We have the Olympics and the World Cup,” he said. “And we have something that maybe surpasses everything, the 250th anniversary of our country. So that’s going to be great. That’s going to be a very big event, a yearlong event.”
Similar military parade after Gulf War victory
The last military parade of a similar scale took place in 1991, when the U.S. celebrated the victory in the Gulf War with thousands of troops and vehicles marching through Washington.
Trump attempted to organize a similar event during his first presidency but met resistance over concerns that heavy military vehicles could damage city streets. At the time, Pentagon officials noted that the military typically reserves large-scale parades to commemorate the end of major conflicts.
