Trump’s military parade could include 6,000 soldiers, 150 vehicles, dozens of helicopters

President Trump will host his long-sought military parade on June 14 to commemorate the Army’s 250th birthday, the White House has confirmed.

The parade, which has been in the planning stages for more than a year, will also fall on Mr. Trump’s 79th birthday.

It will include re-enactors, equipment and more from major U.S. battles, including the Revolutionary War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War/Desert Storm and the war on terror. Active-duty service members and students at U.S. military academies will also participate.

The White House said it is coordinating with the Pentagon, Department of Homeland Security and the National Park Service on the event.

Detailed plans for the parade, obtained by The Associated Press, said it could include more than 6.600 soldiers, 150 vehicles, 50 helicopters, seven bands and thousands of civilians, according to detailed Army plans. The White House declined to comment on the potential size or the number of soldiers or vehicles included.

The documents did not include a cost estimate, but a parade of that size involving so many vehicles, equipment, aircraft and troops could run in the tens of millions of dollars. Mr. Trump had planned a similar parade during his first term, inspired by a similar event he attended in France.

But his suggestion was nixed at the time amid concerns about cost and potential damage that tanks and other heavy military vehicles could inflict on Washington’s roads.

Some of the equipment and troops were already expected to be included in the Army’s birthday celebration, which has been planned for more than a year. The anniversary party is expected to include a fitness competition, a climbing wall, armored vehicles, helicopters and other equipment.

Plans would include bringing in soldiers from at least 11 corps and divisions nationwide, potentially including a Stryker battalion with two companies of Stryker vehicles, a tank battalion and two companies of tanks.

The event would also feature seven Army bands and a parachute jump by the Golden Knights. Civilian participants would include bands, veterans groups, personnel attending military colleges and re-enactors.

The evening parade would be followed by a concert and fireworks, according to the documents viewed by the Associated Press.

Mr. Trump has long wanted a parade honoring the U.S. military since 2018. After witnessing France’s military display in 2017, he said the U.S. would “try and top” the French display.