It turns out President Donald Trump will get his military parade after all. The parade is set to take place on November 11, Veterans Day 2018, in Washington.
Recall that Trump had reportedly told Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that he wanted "a military parade in Washington similar to the Bastille Day parade he witnessed in Paris in July." An unnamed military official told the Post that the "marching orders were: I want a parade like the one in France. . . . This is being worked at the highest levels of the military."
According to reports in the New York Times and CNN, Trump’s wish has been granted, but it won’t be as Bastille-like as he may have wanted.
“This parade will focus on the contributions of our veterans throughout the history of the U.S. Military, starting from the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 to today, with an emphasis on the price of freedom,” the memo with the news reported, via the New York Times.
The parade will also “highlight the evolution of women veterans from separate formations in World War II to today’s integrated formations.” It’s also expected to have Medal of Honor veterans march, and there will be reenactments, period uniforms, and “old guard fife and drum.”
While there will be a “heavy air component”--presumably lots of aircrafts--but there won’t be tanks, just “wheeled vehicles only.”
“Consideration must be given to minimize damage to local infrastructure,” the memo said.
According to CNN, the route will run from the White House to the Capitol.
The cost of the event hasn’t been officially disclosed, but an anonymous U.S. official told NPR that the Department of Defense could spend up to $50 million on the parade.
Trump's proposed parade has already been widely criticized when news first broke about the idea; now that it has been confirmed, many are voicing their concerns on Twitter once again.
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