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US military to hold grand parade in Washington DC on Trump’s 79th birthday and Army's 250th. What we know
The parade would reportedly stretch nearly four miles from the Pentagon in Arlington to the White House.
The US military is going to hold a grand parade in Washington D.C. on June 14, 2025, which will coincide with the Army’s 250th birthday, as well as President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday. A D.C. source with knowledge of the plan, which is still being developed, has said that Trump has commandeered Saturday, June 14, for his military parade, as reported by the Washington City Paper. The parade would reportedly stretch nearly four miles from the Pentagon in Arlington to the White House.
Arlington County Board Chair Takis Karantonis told the outlet that no formal request for assistance has been made to the county yet. The White House has given the county a “heads up” about the parade, but no details have been provided.
“It’s not clear to me what the scope of a parade would be,” Karantois said. “But I would hope the federal government remains sensitive to the pain and concerns of numerous [military] veteran residents who have lost or might lose their jobs in recent federal decisions, as they reflect on how best to celebrate the Army’s anniversary.”
When Donald Trump’s plans were cancelled in the past
Trump has always wanted a grand military parade to take place, and had even envisioned tanks, aircraft, and other military hardware rolling down Pennsylvania Avenue NW back in 2018. According to the Associated Press, he got the idea after watching a French military spectacle in 2017, following which he told people, “We’re going to have to try and top it.”
His plan, however, did not work out in 2018 with military leaders expressing their concerns about logistics for putting on such a huge event. They were also worried about the estimated $92 million dollars in costs. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser publicly questioned the parade at the time, and Trump finally had to cancel his plans.
“The local politicians who run Washington, D.C. (poorly) know a windfall when they see it,” Trump wrote on X at the time. “When asked to give us a price for holding a great celebratory military parade, they wanted a number so ridiculously high that I cancelled it. Never let someone hold you up! I will instead …attend the big parade already scheduled at Andrews Air Force Base on a different date…”
