Overview
- The parade is scheduled for June 14 to commemorate the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary and Trump’s 79th birthday, featuring tanks, jets and about 6,600 troops.
- In a May 26 address at Arlington National Cemetery, Trump said he “missed” a second term to be part of upcoming milestone events and proclaimed “God did that” when boasting he “has everything.”
- Critics from Democrats and some Republicans label the parade a self-promotional spectacle and a misuse of taxpayer dollars, prompting Rep. Steve Cohen’s HAPPY BIRTHDAY Budget Act to block federal funding.
- Trump’s cemetery speech also veered into political commentary, with remarks about “fixing” the republic and “people pouring through our borders unchecked,” drawing rebuke for politicizing a solemn ceremony.
- Authorities are moving ahead with complex logistical preparations despite concerns over road damage, public safety and the operational challenges of mounting such a large-scale event.