President Donald Trump is once again pushing forward with plans for a military parade, this time setting his sights on Saturday, June 14—a date that marks both his 79th birthday and the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. Trump is reportedly seeking to stage a nearly four-mile parade route from the Pentagon to the White House, reviving a vision he first championed during his first term in 2018 but later canceled under public and military pressure. Trump’s 2018 effort to showcase tanks, aircraft, and troops on Pennsylvania Avenue fizzled after the Pentagon estimated a staggering $92 million cost, and D.C. officials objected to the impact on roads and the additional $21 million in public safety expenses. The president, frustrated by what he saw as excessive demands, lashed out on Twitter and ultimately attended a pre-planned military celebration at Andrews Air Force Base instead. But reports say Trump, now in his second term, is determined to move forward this time—despite lingering questions and limited coordination with local officials. Arlington County Board Chair Takis Karantonis confirmed that the county had been given a preliminary “heads up” by the White House on Friday, but that no formal request or plan has yet been submitted. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office declined to comment on Sunday, a notable shift from her outspoken opposition to Trump’s 2018 proposal. At the time, she publicly clashed with the president, tweeting that she was the “local politician who finally got through to the reality star in the White House” by pointing out the real cost of such an event. This time, however, Bowser has struck a more measured tone. She has not criticized the parade plans and is reportedly maintaining a “strategic” posture as Trump continues to threaten greater federal control over D.C. governance. Trump recently formed a federal task force—without local participation—to advise on crime-fighting in the city. In recent months, Bowser has also taken steps that appear to align with Trump’s complaints, including increased removals of homeless encampments and the quiet dismantling of the Black Lives Matter mural on 16th Street NW. Despite the short 10-week timeline, the Army has long been preparing for a major commemoration of its 250th anniversary this year, with a series of events and displays planned around the country. The potential Trump parade would represent a dramatic centerpiece—but one requiring extensive coordination between all six military branches, federal agencies, and local governments. With preparations already underway behind the scenes, the question now is whether this time, Trump’s long-desired military spectacle will finally roll down the streets of the nation’s capital—or face another halt at the hands of logistical and political realities. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)