Former President Donald Trump‘s long-awaited military parade will take place in Washington, D.C., marking a significant moment for his administration’s vision of national pride. The trip is based for later this month. According to an Army spokesperson, the total could be as high as $45 million.
This is not the first time that Tump has advocated for a military parade to roll down the nation’s capital. During his first term, Pentagon officials balked at the concept, concerned about the optics of such a pageant. Among other things, this year’s parade will show off thousands of soldiers and dozens of tanks. It will end at night with an exuberant fireworks display.
Unfortunately, the convening also coincides with a sharp uptick in hostilities in the Middle East. This step comes on the heels of Israel’s missile attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites and Iran’s severe retaliatory response. Critics have said that the timing of the parade could not be worse for all of these major global issues.
The President’s signals on any protests that may take place during the parade have been loud and clear. He threatened that any protesters who came to Washington, D.C., would face “very, very strong force.” If these negotiations fail to achieve justice, protests are already planned in nearly 2,000 towns and cities around the United States. As a result, Trump’s opponents are uniting in coordinated “No Kings Day” protests. They’re looking to challenge a wide swath of policy developments from his administration.
Focusing attention on the planned $50 million dollar price tag of the parade has raised eyebrows among appropriators, including members of Trump’s own party. None of this has pleased fiscal conservatives like Senator John Kennedy (R-La.). He announced that if he had the authority to do so, he would not spend the funds on the party. A new poll released yesterday by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds the overwhelming majority of adults—six in 10—opposing the military parade. For many, they’ve concluded it’s not an intelligent use of taxpayer dollars.
Though the criticism has persisted, Trump clearly continues to be very excited about flexing military might. In an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press,” he dismissed concerns over the cost, calling it “peanuts compared to the value of doing it.” He went on to elaborate on the capabilities of the U.S. military, declaring,
“We have the greatest missiles in the world. We have the greatest submarines in the world. We have the greatest army tanks in the world. We have the greatest weapons in the world.” – Donald Trump
Initial preparations for the parade are already in place. This event has become one of the most overriding symbols of what Trump envisions for a strong, proud American future. This is a very intentional tactic that creates real controversy between citizens and legislators. It’s an illuminating look at the competing perspectives on national spending priorities and the role of military pageantry in American life.