Battle tanks, 7,000 troops & WW2 planes … spotters guide to Trump's £30m birthday bash with 18-mile ring of steel
Patriotic tunes will fill the air in Washington DC as the commander in chief turns 79 - with the
Army
's 250th anniversary.
12
Soldiers dressed in Revolutionary war-era uniforms charge during the US Army's Twilight Tattoo event
Credit: AFP
12
Soldiers from the Marine Corps, lined up at the Veterans Day Parade in NYC
12
A Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter to be used in the US Army's 250th Birthday Celebration is seen near the US Capitol
Credit: Reuters
12
US soldiers stand beside IAV Stryker armoured vehicles that are staged ahead of a 14 June military parade in Washington, DC
Credit: EPA
12
The main stage for the US Army's 250th birthday celebration parade
Credit: AFP
12
Trump turns 79 today
Credit: AP
The grandiose military parade will showcase
As many as 7,000 troops and seven band contingents have reportedly been called to participate in the show.
They will be accompanied by at least 150 military vehicles and some 50 aircraft.
Some 2,000 civilians could also take march alongside the US military.
READ MORE ON TRUMP
And the whole celebration will be enclosed with an 18 mile ring of steel to protect the parade.
Drones and a small army of cops will be on hand to keep order - with there expected to be protests across the country as part of "No Kings" day, a series of anti-Trump rallies by people objecting to the parade.
It comes after a week of unrest in many cities - with
June 14 this year marks the 250th anniversary of the US Army, also known as Army Day.
Most read in The US Sun
The day also coincides with
Trump
's 79th birthday.
To celebrate both things in style, Trump planned to throw a military parade to showcase America's might.
French President Emmanuel Macron joins 3,700 members of the military in Paris to mark Bastille Day, with guest Donald Trump
For years, the president is said to have had his eyes on a full-blown military show, but has failed to put up a working plan - until now.
Plans are to roll down battle tanks, massive military equipment, and aircraft and missiles, just as Trump first envisioned the parade during his first term.
The president, who is expected to give a speech during the parade, has pitched the occasion as a way to celebrate US power and service members' sacrifice.
The parade will also showcase antics from different eras of the Army's history, right from the Revolutionary War in 1775 to the modern developments of the US Army.
Contingent members are expected to wear corresponding uniforms and carry equipment respectively.
Among the military equipment set to be flaunted are 26 M1A1 Abrams tanks, 27 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, two World War II Sherman tanks, a World War I-era
Renault
tank, eight CH-47 helicopters, 16 UH-60 Black Hawks and four WWII-era P-51 aircraft.
While US officials have yet to release the cost of the planned parade, the figure is expected to reach up to a whopping $45million.
This includes the cost of transporting all the military equipment across Washington and putting up safety measures for the public expected to gather at the parade.
Army spokesman Col. Dave Butler said that the Army is excited about the plans for its anniversary.
He added: 'We want to make it into an event that the entire nation can celebrate with us.
'We want Americans to know their Army and their soldiers.
12
12
12
A US soldier works atop an Abrams tank that is staged in West Potomac Park ahead of a 14 June military parade
Credit: EPA
12
Tanks rest on the back of a rail car before being used for the parade
Credit: AFP
12
US Army soldiers on top of an M1 Abrams tank during a media preview of the Army's Parade
Credit: AFP
12
A US Park Police officer poses for a photograph next to a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter to be used in the US Army's 250th Birthday Celebration
Credit: Reuters
"A parade might become part of that, and we think that will be an excellent addition to what we already have planned.'
Trump appeared to tease the grand plan last month in a post on Truth Social, where he wrote: "We are going to start celebrating our victories again!'
He also vowed to rename May 8, now known as Victory in
Europe
Day, as 'Victory Day for World War II,' and to change November 11, Veterans Day, to 'Victory Day for World War I".
Meanwhile,
immigration
rioters protesting against the Trump administration in
LA
could show up in Washington, experts fear.
AMERICA'S 250th MAGA CELEBRATION
By Sayan Bose, Foreign news reporter
Trump is also planning a
Trump floated plans to showcase America's greatness in its true sense - packed in a year-long grand festival to mark the country's anniversary, dubbed the semiquincentennial, in a grand style that can be seen in the video above.
Trump, who led his 2024 election campaign on the promise to make America great again, will take this opportunity to portray the country's might in the most patriotic way.
It was just a year ago when he called all Americans to prepare for the Great American State Fair - a gigantic carnival of joy that would mark America's 250th birthday in true Trump fashion.
Various contingents could take part in a grand parade in front of millions of people visiting the fair - and Trump could build a "National Garden of American Heroes' with statues of important figures in American history.
This may include giant structures of George Washington, Neil Armstrong, and Muhammad Ali.
Use our
But Trump warned protestors would be "met with very big force" if they attempted to sow chaos during the parade.
He told reporters from the White House: "For those people that want to protest, they're going to be met with very big force."
Law
enforcement agencies are preparing for hundreds of thousands of people to attend Saturday's parade, US Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Matt McCool revealed.
McCool said thousands of agents, officers and specialists will be deployed from law enforcement agencies across the country.
Iran's foreign ministry has described further discussions as "meaningless", after Israeli attacks on the country.
In comments carried by state television, spokesman Esmail Baghaei said: "The US did a job that made the talks become meaningless."
However, he stopped short of ruling out the talks.
The Mizan news agency, run by Iran's judiciary, quoted him as saying it is still "not clear what we decide about Sunday talks".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
3 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Russia open to peace but must 'achieve goals' in Ukraine
Russia is open to peace with Ukraine but achieving "our goals" remains a priority, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said. Mr Peskov and other Russian officials have repeatedly rejected accusations from Kyiv and its western partners of stalling peace talks. Meanwhile, Moscow continues to intensify its long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities, with more drones launched in a single night than during some entire months in 2024, and analysts say the barrages are likely to escalate. Mr Peskov told state TV reporter Pavel Zarubin: "(Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin has repeatedly spoken of his desire to bring the Ukrainian settlement to a peaceful conclusion as soon as possible. "This is a long process, it requires effort, and it is not easy. "The main thing for us is to achieve our goals. Our goals are clear." Kremlin on peace conditions The Kremlin has insisted any peace deal should see Ukraine withdraw from the four regions that Russia illegally annexed in September 2022 but never fully captured. It also wants Ukraine to renounce its bid to join NATO and accept strict limits on its armed forces, demands Kyiv and its Western allies have rejected. In his nightly address yesterday, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said his officials had proposed a new round of peace talks this week. Russian state media reported today that no date had yet been set for the negotiations but that Istanbul would likely remain the host city. Mr Trump threatened Russia on 14 July with steep tariffs and announced a rejuvenated pipeline for US weapons to reach Ukraine, hardening his stance towards Moscow after months of frustration following unsuccessful negotiations aimed at ending the war. Previous negotiations in Istanbul The direct Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Istanbul resulted in several rounds of prisoner exchanges, but little else. Mr Trump said he would implement "severe tariffs" unless a peace deal is reached within 50 days. He provided few details on how they would be implemented, but suggested they would target Russia's trading partners in an effort to isolate Moscow in the global economy. In addition, Mr Trump said European allies would buy "billions and billions" of dollars of US military equipment to be transferred to Ukraine, replenishing the besieged country's supplies of weapons. Included in the plan are Patriot air defence systems, a top priority for Ukraine as it fends off Russian drones and missiles. Russian drones shot down overnight Elsewhere, Ukraine's air force said it shot down 18 of 57 Shahed-type and decoy drones launched by Russia overnight, with seven more disappearing from radar. Two women were injured in Zaporizhzhia, a southern Ukrainian region partly occupied by Russia, when a drone struck their house, according to the regional military administration. Two more civilians were injured in Izium, north-eastern Ukraine, after a drone hit a residential building, local Ukrainian officials said. Later, drones struck a leafy square in the centre of Sumy, wounding a woman and her seven-year-old son, officials said. The strike also damaged a power line, leaving some 100 households without electricity, according to Serhii Krivosheienko of the municipal military administration. Meanwhile, Russia's defence ministry said its forces had shot down 93 Ukrainian drones targeting Russian territory overnight, including at least 15 that appeared to be headed for Moscow. Ten more drones were downed on the approach to the capital today, according to mayor Sergei Sobyanin. He said one drone had struck a residential building in Zelenograd, on the outskirts of Moscow, damaging an apartment but causing no casualties.
Irish Examiner
7 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
US commerce secretary Lutnick 'confident we'll get a deal done' with EU
US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick said on Sunday he was confident the United States can secure a trade deal with the European Union, but August 1 is a hard deadline for tariffs to kick in. Lutnick said he had just gotten off the phone with European trade negotiators and there was "plenty of room" for agreement. "These are the two biggest trading partners in the world, talking to each other. We'll get a deal done. I am confident we'll get a deal done," Mr Lutnick said in an interview with CBS' "Face the Nation." US president Donald Trump threatened on July 12 to impose a 30% tariff on imports from Mexico and the European Union starting on August 1, after weeks of negotiations with the major US trading partners failed to reach a comprehensive trade deal. Mr Lutnick said that was a hard deadline. "Nothing stops countries from talking to us after August 1, but they're going to start paying the tariffs on August 1," he said on CBS. Mr Trump announced the tariffs in a letter to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen. He sent letters to other trading partners including Mexico, Canada, Japan, and Brazil, setting blanket tariff rates ranging from 20% to 50%, as well as a 50% tariff on copper. Mr Lutnick also said he expected Mr Trump to renegotiate the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) signed during Mr Trump's first White House term in 2017-21. Barring any major changes, USMCA-compliant goods from Mexico and Canada are exempt from tariffs. "I think the president is absolutely going to renegotiate USMCA, but that's a year from today," Mr Lutnick said. Reuters
Irish Examiner
9 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
John Whelan: Trade war leaves Ireland's booming aviation sector vulnerable
US president Donald Trump's threat of a 30% tariff on EU goods from August 1 puts Ireland's continued growth narrative at risk. Exporters of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, food and drink, and aviation services consider a 30% tariffs on their sales to the US would be very damaging and, in many instances, make supplying their customers across the Atlantic unsustainable. However, having been caught off guard by a letter threatening the 30% duty on EU goods the weekend before last, the European Commission last week quickly tabled a plan to put counter tariffs worth €72bn on imports of US goods. Inevitably, this will hit the European Union's own economy, with Ireland potentially being one of the most impacted. The proposed EU retaliatory tariffs target imports of industrial goods from the US, including aircraft and aircraft parts, machinery, automotives, chemicals and plastics, and medical devices and equipment. Potential EU countermeasures on aircraft imports, coupled with retaliation from the US administration, could risk Ireland's position as a world-leading hub in aviation. Aviation is a highly important part of the Irish trading base, covering aircraf and parts and set to be heavily impacted by EU countermeasures. Potential EU import restrictions on these goods, worth nearly €14bn, according to a document from the Central Statistics Office, would be very damaging to many companies in the sector, including the lucrative aircraft leasing sector. A recent report by aviation investment group Irelandia said the industry in Ireland accounts for 37% of the global commercial fleet, making Ireland a central player in the world's air transport infrastructure. Within the EU member states, the country with the biggest US aircraft imports in 2024 was Ireland, followed by France, the Netherlands, and Germany. Ryanair, Europe's largest airline, imports new aircraft on a regular basis. A 30% import duty would significantly increase the cost of acquiring these new planes. Increased import costs would also likely lead to higher operating expenses for Ryanair. This could affect their ability to maintain their low-cost model and potentially lead to fare increases or reduced profitability. If the cost of new aircraft becomes prohibitive, it could also delay Ryanair's expansion plans, potentially affecting the addition of new routes and increased flights on existing routes. Furthermore, increased costs might lead to a reduction in the number of aircraft available for service, potentially impacting their operational efficiency. Ryanair has already threatened to cancel orders for hundreds of Boeing aircraft if a US tariff war leads to materially higher prices, and said it could look at alternative suppliers, including Chinese plane maker COMAC. However, this will still leave Ryanair exposed to higher costs on Boeing-related maintenance, repair, and overhaul, all increasingly critical with the growth of their fleet. A new import tariff would add to these challenges, potentially exacerbating existing operational difficulties. Aviation between the US and EU is a highly interconnected sector. French multinational aerospace and defence company Thales with a manufacturing base in Northern Ireland, and supplies US-based Boeing and European competitor Airbus with flight management systems and cockpit displays. In exchange, US aerospace giant Honeywell provides flight management systems for Airbus. Hence, the EU's potential retaliatory tariffs on US-made aircraft could escalate the trade war to impact a wider range of aviation products exported to the US. Eurostat figures show Boeing earned €7.5bn of its revenues from Europe in 2024. Airbus had sales of €16bn to the US last year. Future sales would likely be caught in the crossfire. Ireland is already facing a serious hit to its economy due to potentially high tariffs on exports to the US after the August 1 deadline. After Germany, Ireland could be the most affected economies in the EU. Retaliatory actions by the EU could then be more damaging than increased US tariffs on exports. Brussels says it is still seeking a deal to avoid a tit-for-tat escalation in the trade war but is poised to retaliate if needed. Preparations for retaliation are underway. Some commentators believe it is time for the EU to put its guns on the table in the tariff spat and show strength and determination. But there may be extensive consequences. Brussels-based think tank Bruegel has estimated that Ireland's cumulative real GDP loss, due to the total impact of US tariffs, could be 3% by 2028.
