Trump's Birthday Military Parade in the U.S. Expanded to 63 Billion Won
The United States plans to invest $45 million (approximately 63.8 billion won) into a large-scale military parade scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C. on the 14th of next month, coinciding with President Donald Trump's birthday. This amount is significantly higher than the initially planned budget, making it the first large-scale military parade in the U.S. in 34 years since 1991.
According to local media such as USA Today, this parade will celebrate President Trump’s 79th birthday as well as the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. The parade is expected to feature heavy military equipment, including 24 M1 Abrams tanks, 34 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, and four M109 self-propelled howitzers.
Additionally, B-17 bombers and P-51 Mustang fighters, which were active during World War II, will fly over the National Mall in Washington, D.C., followed by 50 aircraft currently operated by the U.S. Army, such as Apache and Black Hawk helicopters.
Show of Military Might and Political Controversy
Approximately 7,500 soldiers will participate in this event, with each soldier receiving a special allowance of $50 per day, and two meals provided as combat rations.
The parade is scheduled to begin at around 6 PM on the day of the event and will conclude with a concert and fireworks. The route is planned to pass in front of a special platform set up for President Trump on Constitution Avenue, south of the White House.
President Trump has shown a strong interest in military parades since his first term, but was unable to realize it at that time due to the immense cost of $92 million and concerns over road damage. In particular, there was an attempt to hold a parade in November 2018, which was canceled due to high budget concerns.
In response, Senator Jack Reed, the Democratic ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, criticized, "This is exactly Trump," stating, "Everything is due to his ego, and he is making everything centered around himself."
Image source: Donald Trump, U.S. President / gettyimagesbank
