Trump to hold birthday parade: in the shadow of tanks, planes, and criticism

US President Donald Trump is holding a grand military parade in Washington on the eve of his 79th birthday. The 1.5-hour event will take place on June 14 and is officially dedicated to the 250th anniversary of the American military, but the fact that it falls on Trump's birthday is causing great controversy.

The parade will feature more than 150 pieces of military equipment - including about 25 M1 Abrams tanks, heavy artillery, combat vehicles, 50 aircraft and 6,600 soldiers. The equipment and combat forces have already been delivered to Maryland, from where they are being transported to Washington. Part of the streets of the capital will be closed for four days for the parade.

Opposition and criticism

This is not the first such initiative by Trump. In 2017, he also proposed holding a military parade, but one of the army generals rejected it, saying that "dictators usually do things like this." It is not a tradition for military equipment and tanks to march through the streets in the United States; the last such parades were held in 1991 and 1946, after World War II and the operation in Yemen.

This year's parade is also not without criticism. Some in American society consider such ostentatious actions to be typical of authoritarian regimes such as Russia, China and North Korea. In addition, a Bloomberg source noted that the funds allocated for the parade will be around $ 25-40 million. These amounts do not include the costs of cleaning the city and security.

Known political context

The fact that the event is being held against the backdrop of Trump's decision to send the National Guard and Marines to counter protests in Los Angeles reinforces the idea that it is aimed at political goals. At the same time, the president's administration's intention to reduce 83 thousand employees in the Department of Veterans Affairs has also caused serious controversy.

What is the purpose?

Defense officials say the parade is intended to boost morale and public service. But critics say it's not just a cover-up of local problems, but also a misuse of state resources for personal PR.

In short, Trump's birthday parade has exposed the divisions within the military, politics, and society in America. The president, who has strayed from traditional political behavior over the years, has once again challenged everyone to debate.