250th Anniversary Parade of the U.S. Army
Coincides with Trump's 79th Birthday
Department of Defense Estimates Cost at $45 Million
Protests Erupt Against the Parade Across the Country
A large-scale parade celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Army was held on June 14 (local time) in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. President Donald Trump, who turned 79 on this day, attended the parade in person. Large-scale military parades are rare in the United States, drawing global attention to the event.
President Trump had wanted a parade during his first term, but was unable to hold one due to opposition from his aides. He realized his dream in the first year of his second term. The parade began at around 6 p.m., proceeding along Constitution Avenue from the iconic Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument. Approximately 6,700 soldiers, 150 vehicles, 50 aircraft, 34 horses, 2 mules, and 1 dog participated in the parade.
President Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, watched the parade of service members from a large stage set up near the White House. He occasionally stood to return the soldiers' salutes with a hand salute of his own.
After the parade, President Trump presided over the oath-taking ceremony for new recruits. Standing at the podium, he expressed his gratitude for the soldiers' dedication, stating, "The U.S. Army is the greatest, fiercest, and bravest force ever to walk this earth." He continued, "America's enemies have repeatedly learned that if you threaten the American people, our soldiers will pursue you, your defeat will be certain, and ultimately you will meet your end and be utterly destroyed," as he listed the major battlefields where the U.S. military has fought in the past.
During the parade, soldiers wore uniforms and carried weapons representing different eras to showcase the Army's 250-year evolution. The display began with the War of Independence, fought to break free from British colonial rule, and continued through the Civil War?when the North and South clashed over issues such as slavery?the era of westward expansion, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the War on Terror, and up to the modern military equipment currently used by the Army.
After the Sherman tank, which played a key role in World War II, the parade featured the current main battle tank, the Abrams, as well as the Stryker armored vehicle, Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, and Paladin self-propelled howitzer. In the sky, helicopters such as the Black Hawk (UH-60), Apache (AH-64), and Chinook (CH-47) flew overhead.
This was the first parade of such scale in the United States in 34 years, since the victory parade for the Gulf War against Iraq in 1991.
The parade sparked controversy over its cost and accusations of using the military for political purposes. The Department of Defense estimated the cost of the parade at up to $45 million (about 61.5 billion won). According to polls by NBC and ABC News, 6 out of 10 Americans opposed using taxpayer money for the parade. Critics also argued that holding such a parade was inappropriate, as similar events are mainly used by authoritarian regimes like Russia and North Korea to promote the regime and showcase military power.
In particular, there was criticism of the parade in light of President Trump deploying the National Guard and Marines in California against the state government's wishes, in response to protests against crackdowns on undocumented immigrants in Los Angeles. Although President Trump emphasized that the parade was unrelated to his birthday, some critics argued that he had inappropriately used the military for his personal celebration.
CNN reported that when President Trump took the stage, some members of the audience sang "Happy Birthday" to him. Vice President J.D. Vance, speaking before President Trump, noted that the day was not only President Trump's birthday but also his own wedding anniversary. Singer Lee Greenwood performed President Trump's campaign song "God Bless the USA" and offered birthday wishes.
During the parade, a member of the Army Golden Knights parachute team presented the American flag to President Trump, and the event concluded with a fireworks display.
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