Donald Trump Is Planning Lavish Military Parade on His 79th Birthday as Economists Warn of Recession: Reports

A military parade timed to Donald Trump’s 79th birthday may be in the works.

Multiple outlets received reports that a big parade is being planned for June 14 — the president’s birthday, and also the 250th anniversary of the Army — which would travel nearly four miles through the streets of Washington, D.C. Such a parade would involve the Army itself, an Army official told The Hill.

“The Army is very excited to celebrate its 250th anniversary with the entire county. Our intention is for Americans to be proud of their Army and also proud of their nation,” Army spokesperson Col. Dave Butler told the outlet. “It’s too early to say yet whether or not we’re having a parade but we’re working with the White House as well as several government agencies to make the celebration a national level event.”

Washington City Paper was the first to report on the parade planning.

Following the report, a senior official in the Trump administration confirmed the parade to NewsNation, and Politico confirmed with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Arlington County Board Chair Takis Karantonis that they had been included in preliminary discussions about plans for a parade.

“I would say it’s at its early stages. Yes, [Trump officials] have reached out,” Bowser said, adding that it isn’t necessarily a military parade. But when a reporter pointed out that the parade route may start at the Pentagon, Bowser replied, “Okay, well, then it does sound like a military parade.”

Yet, on Monday, the outlet also received word from the White House that “no military parade has been scheduled” thus far in regards to the showing.

Trump was adamant on a similar showing during his first term in 2018, Politico reported, but it was canceled due to its estimated $92 million price tag and the heavy burden of tanks and planes on day-to-day roads. Public safety costs would have reached $21 million alone.

The 2018 parade proposal received bipartisan backlash before it was called off.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham — typically a loyal Trump supporter — feared such a display may appear too similar to a “Soviet-style” show of military strength, whereas then-Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin called the proposal a “fantastic waste of money to amuse the president.”

News that Trump may be picking up the lavish parade planning where he left off seven years ago comes as expert economists warn of a possible recession in the wake of the Trump administration’s controversial new tariff plan.

A ceremonious event thrown with taxpayer dollars in a time of economic uncertainty — especially one that doubles as a birthday party — would not come without public pushback.