United States President Donald Trump has asked the Pentagon to plan a grand parade of armed forces in Washington to celebrate US military strength. The president wants an elaborate parade this year with soldiers marching and tanks rolling, according to The Washington Post.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed the request, saying Mr Trump wants the Pentagon to ‘explore a celebration’ that will allow Americans to show appreciation for the military.
Pentagon spokesman Charlie Summers said officials are aware of the request and are ‘looking at options’. The US has not traditionally embraced showy displays of raw military power, such as North Korea’s parading of ballistic missiles as a claim of international prestige and influence.
US military members commonly participate in parades on July 4 and other holidays to mark appreciation and remembrance of military veterans, but these typically do not include major displays of military hardware.
Although defence secretary Jim Mattis has not commented publicly on the idea of a Washington military parade, it clearly doesn’t fit well with his emphasis on focusing strictly on military activities that either improve the lethality of the armed forces or enhance their preparation for combat.
The Post report said a January 18 meeting between Mr Trump, Mr Mattis and senior generals at the Pentagon marked a tipping point in the president’s push for a parade. It quoted an unidentified military official as saying: ‘The marching orders were: “I want a parade like the one in France”.’
