U.S. President Donald Trump will celebrate his 79th birthday on June 14, which also marks the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. To commemorate the occasion, Washington, D.C. will host a grand military parade featuring 150 vehicles, 6,700 troops, and 50 aircraft.
The event will include 28 M1 Abrams tanks, 28 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, four Paladin howitzers, 28 Stryker combat vehicles, rocket launchers, precision-guided missiles, and towed artillery. Additionally, 34 horses, two mules, and one dog will participate, along with a flypast of Apache and Black Hawk helicopters, as well as vintage B-25 bombers and P-51 Mustang planes from World War II.
The parade will begin at 6:30 PM along Constitution Avenue, starting at 23rd Street and ending at 15th Street near the White House. Parachutists from the Army’s Golden Knights team will land on the Ellipse and present a folded flag to Trump.
A fireworks display is scheduled for 9:45 PM near the Tidal Basin. Other activities include a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, an Army birthday festival, and a fitness competition on the National Mall. The entire celebration is estimated to cost between \$25 million and \$45 million, with around 200,000 attendees expected.
Meanwhile, over 2,000 protests are set to take place nationwide on the same day under the “No Kings” movement. These demonstrations are a response to various policies from Trump’s presidency, including mass deportations, federal layoffs, civil rights rollbacks, and disregard for judicial authority. The protest website states, “The corruption has gone too far. No thrones. No crowns. No kings.” Thus, while the capital prepares for a patriotic celebration, much of the nation will also be voicing strong opposition.
