White House planning a military parade

President Trump is expected to have a military parade in the streets of Washington, something he has wanted since his first term in office.

The parade never came to be during his first term, but times may have changed. Plans for a military parade are apparently in the works for Saturday, June 14, which is the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, Flag Day and Mr. Trump’s 79th birthday.

The parade, first reported by The Washington City Paper, would stretch about four miles from the Pentagon in Arlington to the White House.

The Washington Times reached out to the White House for comment.

Mr. Trump has wanted a parade honoring the country’s military since 2018. He got the idea after seeing a French military display in 2017 and telling people at the time, “We’re going to have to try and top it.”

Back then, the parade plans ran into several roadblocks. Defense officials argued it would be too expensive, costing as much as $92 million. District leaders complained that heavy military vehicles like tanks and planes would damage the roadways.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser also criticized the parade plan, and Mr. Trump ultimately called it off.

Mr. Trump went on X at the time and vented his frustration about the matter.

“The local politicians who run Washington, D.C. (poorly) know a windfall when they see it,” he wrote.

“When asked to give us a price for holding a great celebratory military parade, they wanted a number so ridiculously high that I canceled 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.”

Ms. Bowser and Mr. Trump’s military leaders are expected to again oppose the parade.

Mr. Trump has already flexed his power over the city during his second term. He created a new federal task force to advise him and other city leaders on fighting crime in the district, though no city officials are on the task force.

Ms. Bowser has said she’s taking a “strategic” position in dealing with Mr. Trump, who has threatened to take over the entire local government.

Most recently, she agreed to remove the Black Lives Matter mural on 16th Street NW and clamped down on homeless encampments and graffiti following Mr. Trump’s complaints about the vandalism throughout the District.