By Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. military is working on plans that could see more than 6,500 troops, about 150 vehicles and 50 aircraft moving to Washington D.C. for twin celebrations of President Donald Trump’s birthday and the Army’s 250th anniversary, according to officials and documents.
U.S. military service branches take pride in their history and anniversary celebrations, called birthdays in military circles, take place across the United States and on bases throughout the world.
The U.S. Army had long been planning to move troops and equipment to the National Mall in Washington D.C. in June as part of a celebration for the Army anniversary.
But officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that the planning now includes a military parade since the Army’s anniversary also falls on Trump’s 79th birthday.
According to a planning document seen by Reuters on Friday, there would be a week of celebrations by the Army which would culminate in the parade on June 14th.
A U.S. official said the most recent planning includes several thousand additional troops and dozens of military vehicles which would not have been needed if there was no parade.
The official said it was still in the planning phase and could change, adding that it was unclear if the parade was a request from the White House or something the Army had started to consider on its own.
The official added that the plan had not yet been approved by the White House or senior Pentagon leaders. The White House confirmed that Trump would host a military parade for veterans and service members, but did not provide details.
It was unclear how much it would cost.
Trump has made no secret of his desire to hold military parades in the past.
During his first administration, he ordered the Pentagon to look into a display of military might after a 2017 trip to France where he and French President Emmanuel Macron reviewed that country’s defense forces marching down the Avenue des Champs-Elysees in Paris.
That effort would have cost $90 million.
Trump ultimately settled for a display of tanks and other armored vehicles during a July Fourth celebration in 2019 in Washington D.C.
Military parades in the United States are generally rare. Such parades in other countries are usually staged to celebrate victories in battle or showcase military might.
In 1991, tanks and thousands of troops paraded through Washington to celebrate the ousting of President Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi forces from Kuwait in the Gulf War.
On Thursday, Trump hinted at celebrating the military, though he did not mention June 14.
“Many of our allies and friends are celebrating May 8th as Victory Day, but we did more than any other Country, by far, in producing a victorious result on World War II,” Trump said on Truth Social.
“We are going to start celebrating our victories again!”
(Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart; Editing by Diane Craft)
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