Pentagon Okays Trump's Parade, but Without the Big Guns He Was Hoping For

By Danielle McLean, ThinkProgress

11 March 18

Will Trump say "no thanks" to a parade without tanks?

resident Donald Trump is a step closer to getting his fervently wished for military parade, which is expected to cost taxpayers between $10 and $30 million. But it’s likely to be missing some of the oversized hardware that thrilled him at a military procession in Paris last year.

Less than a month after the Trump administration unveiled a fiscal 2019 budget that included $3 trillion in cuts, US defense officials late Friday released plans for the parade which has been scheduled for November 11, Veteran’s Day.

The procession — meant to be a fearsome display of American military might — will roll down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capital to the White House, according to a memo obtained by CNN that was sent by the Pentagon to the the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, giving initial guidance for the parade.

There will be no tanks at America’s military parade, however — likely a disappointment to Trump who was enamored by the heavy armor that rumbled through the streets of Paris last July when he watched France’s Bastille Day celebration. Officials said they are worried about the possible damage that non-wheeled vehicles could infict upon Washington streets.

The president might be consoled by plans during the event for an aerial display by military planes, including older aircraft. There are also plans for soldiers to wear period uniforms dating back to the Revolutionary War. But it is still unknown whether this will appease the president who has apparently been eager to show off the military dominance of America, which is by far the largest defense spender in the world.

Last month, Vice President Pence criticized North Korea for staging a similar military parade in the capital city of Pyongyang a day prior to the Winter Olympics opening ceremonies in Pyeongchang, in which they displayed several new intercontinental ballistic missiles. Pence called the parade an “ongoing provocation.”