WASHINGTON – A military to celebrate President Donald Trump’s birthday is reportedly in the works. It’s a long-held dream that the president tried to make happen in his first term.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser addressed the potential plans on Monday, saying they’re all in the early stages. The proposed would stretch from Arlington, where the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery are located, across the Potomac River and into D.C.
Arlington County Board Chair Takis Karantonis tells FOX 5 the county was contacted by the Secret Service regarding the possibility of a military , “but no further details were offered.” The police and fire departments have not received any formal request from the federal government.
So far, the plans have been denied by the White House. The Associated Press reports that the administration said in a statement that “no military has been scheduled.”
Trump’s Birthday
What we know:
Trump will turn 79 years old on June 14. The date also happens to be Flag Day, and it’s also the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army.
During Trump’s first term, he started making plans for a similar that included military tanks driving down Pennsylvania Avenue. However, the mayor warns this will come with a hefty price tag.
Logistical Considerations
What they’re saying:
Bowser said Monday that she didn’t know if the event was being “characterized as a military ” but said she’s certainly opposed to having military tanks rolling through D.C.
“Military tanks on our streets would not be good,” she said. “They should be accompanied with many millions of dollars to repair the roads.”
Bowser says the early plans show the would start at the Pentagon before entering D.C. She also said that the 14th Street bridge would need to be tested to see if it can handle the military weight of those tanks.
Trump’s first attempt at the fell through due to logistics and costs — one estimate slated the event at $92 million.
Trump in 2018 said in a post on the social media site then known as Twitter that he was canceling the event over costs and accused local politicians of price gouging.
“When asked to give us a price for holding a great celebratory military , they wanted a number so ridiculously high that I canceled it,” he said in his post.
Army Anniversary
Dig deeper:
“Arlington is the proud home of tens of thousands of Veterans, active military and civilian personnel, and the Pentagon. We are a 9/11 community. U.S. Army history is Arlington history,” said Karantonis. “At this time, it is not clear to me what the scope of the would look be, but I would hope the Federal Government remains sensitive to the pain and concerns of numerous active military and veteran residents, who have lost or might lose their jobs in recent federal decisions, as they reflect on how best to celebrate the Army’s anniversary.”
The Army birthday festival, which has been in the planning stages for about two years, is to include an array of activities and displays on the National Mall, including Army Stryker armored vehicles, Humvees, helicopters and other equipment.
The Associated Press reports that in a statement, Army spokesman Col. David Butler said that “it’s too early to say yet whether or not we’re having a but we’re working with the White House as well as several government agencies to make the celebration a national level event.”
The Source: This story includes sound from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser as well as information from the Associated Press.
