Details, Date of Trump's Military Parade Revealed
President Donald Trump may actually get his military parade after all - sort of. A new memo from the Pentagon shows that the parade is expected to happen on Veterans Day, in conjunction with the annual Veterans Day parade on November 11, in Washington, D.C.
The memo, obtained by CNN, detailed the plans for the parade. Notably absent are military tanks and any other military vehicle without wheels, but the parade will feature an air display and soldiers in period costumes. The Veterans Day date means the parade will happen less than a week after election day, a day some have predicted will bring a "blue wave" of Democrats into office.
The memo was sent Thursday to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, CNN reported. First reports of plans for a parade came out last month when The Washington Post reported that Trump had met with high-ranking officials and told them he wanted a parade "like the one in France."
The parade Trump was referring to is the Bastille Day parade he attended last year in Paris. After attending the grandiose event Trump thanked the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, for the invitation in a tweet and included a video of the parade. That video shows cavalry, tanks, fighter jets and other military vehicles traveling the streets and skies of Paris.
President @EmmanuelMacron,
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2017
Thank you for inviting Melania and myself to such a historic celebration in France. #BastilleDay #14juillet pic.twitter.com/KZjJQOo0H1
During a press briefing at the White House in February, Secretary of Defense James Mattis said, "I think we're all aware, in this country, of the President's affection and respect for the military. We've been putting together some options. We'll send them up to the White House for a decision," about the cost of the parade and the resources that would be diverted to make it happen.
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The plan is for the parade to begin at the White House and end at the Capitol, CNN reported. Plans also outlined the appearance of a Fife and Drum unit as well as air components.