Each year, Russian troops, tanks, and missile launchers parade through Red Square on Victory Day under the watchful eye of Vladimir Putin. Each year, Kim Jong-un looks on as the North Korean military trots out the latest model of ICBM on Army Founding Day. Each year China marks the founding of the People’s Liberation Army with Xi Jinping on hand to review a massive parade that includes mock-ups of potential targets ... like Taiwan's presidential palace. Recep Erdoğan gets a annual military parade in Turkey. Bashar al-Assad even gets in some high-class goose stepping in between dropping chemical weapons on his own citizens.
And Donald Trump is jealous.
President Trump’s vision of soldiers marching and tanks rolling down the boulevards of Washington is moving closer to reality in the Pentagon and White House, where officials say they have begun to plan a grand military parade later this year showcasing the might of America’s armed forces.
There’s long been a widespread feeling that the United States would be better if it were a tad more militaristic. And it would certainly be just the kind of low-key, subtle celebration that demonstrates Trump’s careful stewardship of the nation.
Shows of military strength are not typical in the United States — and they don’t come cheap. The cost of shipping Abrams tanks and high-tech hardware to Washington could run in the millions, and military officials said it was unclear how they would pay for it.
There are sure to be funds for the Trump Day Parade somewhere … probably in the healthcare budget. Or by putting a tax on solar panels and windmills. Trump even has an idea for when this parade could be held—Veteran’s Day. Because what could be a better way to celebrate a day that marks the sacrifice of the fallen and an end to war, than marching around a few hundred thousand people who haven’t fallen yet, and having all of them salute Donald Trump.
Trump is claiming that he was inspired in his parade desires by his visit to France, where he gave an odd salute to French troops rolling past.
The inspiration for Trump’s push is last year’s Bastille Day celebration in Paris, which the president attended as a guest of French President Emmanuel Macron. Trump was awestruck by the tableau of uniformed French troops marching down Avenue des Champs-Elysees with military tanks, armored vehicles, gun trucks and carriers — complete with fighter jets flying over the Arc de Triomphe and painting the sky with streaks of blue, white and red smoke for the colors of the French flag.
But it was far from the first time he asked about such things.
The month after Donald Trump won the presidential election, his staff asked the Pentagon to send photographs of military tactical vehicles that he could include in his inaugural parade, emails obtained by The Huffington Post show.
The military tried explaining to Trump that they were happy to provide some bands and honor guards, but that there was no funding for hauling military equipment around for personal victory parties—or funds to repair streets in the capital after they were chewed up by the 68 ton weight of a main battle tank. No one appears to have suggested that Trump rent a pony, or perhaps a llama, but clearly Trump’s desire to see what tank treads do to city streets was there well before his visit with Emmanuel Macron.
Trump’s “the French did it first” cover story is nice, but his inspiration came from elsewhere.
The reports of an incredible military spectacle are similar to that of North Korea - Kim Jong-un will show off his own horrifying weaponry tomorrow.
North Korea will hold their military parade this week. And you can be sure someone will be watching—and making notes.
Thursday's parade is likely to feature thousands of goose-stepping soldiers, intercontinental ballistic missiles, tanks and other military hardware under the watchful eye of dictator Kim Jong Un. It also could feature new long-range missiles and a submarine-launched ballistic missile.
Trump could just change the name, order of more of everything, and hand that over as his plan.
The possibility that the parade could be held on Veteran’s Day, formerly Armistice Day, has generated a thought to have some troops parade in World War I uniforms. Which seems entirely appropriate. Trump surely likes the ones that come with pointy spikes on the helmets and those nice black boots.