'Make Donald’s ego great again': Military parade on Trump's birthday under consideration
Donald J. Trump speaks with military and civic leaders during a flightline tour at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, May 8, 2019. Leaders met with Trump to provide an update on base recovery efforts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Monica Roybal)
The Army is reportedly planning for a potential military parade on President Donald Trump’s birthday in June. The Associated Press reported Thursday night that the plans include over 6,600 soldiers, at least 150 vehicles, 50 helicopters, seven bands, and possibly a few thousand civilians.
The Army anniversary falls on the same day as Donald Trump's 79th birthday, which is June 14.
According to the documents obtained by AP, dated April 29 and 30, a plan for the Army's upcoming 250th anniversary celebration on the National Mall is under consideration. This includes the newly proposed addition of a large military parade, which is supposedly meant to mark the president's birthday.
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Trump has shown interest in this event but it is still under discussion, per the report. Although the slides don't provide any cost estimates, organizing a parade of that scale would probably require tens of millions of dollars, the AP report said.
Meanwhile, the proposal has been strongly criticized on social media.
Author Stephen King wrote on the social platform X: "I understand Trump is planning a military parade to celebrate his birthday, just like his pal and fellow dictator Kim Jong Un. Cost to taxpayers: About $91 million. Way to make Donald's ego great(er) again."
Activist Melanie D'Arrigo wrote: "NPR receives $2-3M/year in federal funding. PBS receives $80-85M. The military-themed birthday parade Trump is throwing himself will cost taxpayers $92M. We’re told cutting news and kids programming to fund an authoritarian birthday bash somehow 'makes America great again'."
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Journalist Lesly Abravanel reacted to the AP story and wrote: "NORTH KOREA CALLED & WANTS ITS FASCIST GOVERNMENT WASTE BACK:"
User @AdamsKenne13357 wrote: "Right out of the North Korean playbook. When the Dear Leader works for himself and not the People this is what you get. A cult of adulation where dissent is banned."
The account "Republicans Against Trump" wrote: "Cutting cancer research while wasting money on this? Shameful."
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