Trump military parade 2025: Why is the US holding a military parade on Sunday — Trump’s birthday

Here are some answers to key questions about the parade:

1. 01

   When and where will the parade take place?

   The parade is set to begin around 6 p.m. local time on Saturday, June 14, 2025 (3:30 a.m. Sunday in India). It will occur in the nation's capital, Washington DC, around the National Mall with the main procession along Constitution Avenue.

2. 02

   What is the parade officially celebrating?

   The event marks the 250th anniversary of the US Army, which was established as the nation’s first military force on June 14, 1775, over a year before the Declaration of Independence.

   President Trump praised the American soldier as someone who “will chase you down, crush you and cast you into oblivion” during a speech on Tuesday (New York Times)

3. 03

   How much will it cost?

   The parade and related festivities are estimated to cost between $25 million and $45 million, according to an Army spokesperson. This includes millions for repairing DC streets, which are not designed to support heavy tanks and armoured vehicles.

4. 04

   What will the parade feature?

   The event includes a parade with 6,169 soldiers, 128 tanks, armoured personnel carriers, and artillery, plus 62 aircraft flyovers. Additional activities on the National Mall feature concerts, fireworks, NFL players, fitness competitions, a parachute jump, and a troop swearing-in ceremony performed by Trump.

   Army officers prepare in Washington (New York Times)

5. 05

   How many people are expected to attend?

   The US Army expects up to 200,000 attendees, with admission free. Security measures, including fencing and barriers along Constitution Avenue, are already in place to manage the crowd.

6. 06

   Will weather affect the parade?

   Trump has stated the parade will proceed “rain or shine,” despite a 60 per cent chance of rain forecast by the National Weather Service as of Friday. However, lightning could prompt a delay, as authorities have previously cleared the National Mall in the event of lightning.

7. 07

   Are military parades common in America?

   No, they are rare. The last major military parade in the US was the National Victory Celebration on June 8, 1991, marking the Gulf War’s end. Other nations, like India, France, Russia, and China, hold parades more frequently, a tradition dating back to ancient empires.

   Troops marching on Memorial Bridge across the Potomac River toward the Pentagon during the National Victory Celebration parade in Washington on June 8, 1991 (AP)

8. 08

   What do people think of the parade?

   An Associated Press poll found 60 per cent of American adults view the parade as “not a good use” of government funds. Recent events in Los Angeles have also fuelled agitation.

9. 09

   Are there protests planned?

   The No Kings movement is organising demonstrations in over 1,500 US cities and towns to oppose the Trump administration. Major rallies are scheduled in cities like Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Houston, Charlotte, and Phoenix. They are opposing Trump's handling of protests in Los Angeles against anti-immigrant government action by sending the National Guard and US Marines.

   People participate in the "No Kings" protest in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Reuters)

10. 10

    Why is the parade happening?

    Added recently to the Army’s planned 250th anniversary, the parade aligns with Trump’s 79th birthday and fulfils his long-standing desire for a grand military display, inspired by France’s 2017 Bastille Day parade on the Champs-Élysées, which he said he wanted to surpass.

    French President Emmanuel Macron, his wife Brigitte Macron, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at the Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, 2017 (Reuters)