President Donald Trump is planning a full-scale military parade in Washington, D.C. to celebrate his 79th birthday on June 14, an event that will also coincide with the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. The parade is expected to include tanks, missiles, aircraft flyovers, and a procession of uniformed troops from every branch of the armed force.

According to leaked planning documents and reports in The Times, the parade route will stretch nearly four miles from the Pentagon to the White House, with staging zones already being prepared. Early estimates suggest the event could cost upwards of $120 million, much of it coming from the defense budget.

Trump first floated the idea of a military parade during his first term, but the proposal was shelved after facing public backlash and logistical hurdles. Now, with fewer internal checks and broad Republican support, Trump appears determined to follow through.

Critics say the spectacle evokes authoritarian-style displays of power and blurs the line between national celebration and political glorification. “This isn’t about honoring the troops,” one retired general told us. “This is about feeding one man’s ego.”

The White House insists the parade will honor American service members and highlight the country’s military strength. “President Trump is proud to celebrate our troops and our history,” said press secretary Dana Wells. “This will be a patriotic, unifying event.”

But observers note that the choice of date, theme, and scale point to a different motive. In recent years, Trump has embraced visual theatrics as a means of projecting strength, particularly when his administration faces setbacks. With international tensions rising and domestic divisions deepening, the parade reads to some as an attempt to rewrite headlines.

Already, foreign policy analysts are warning that the display may be interpreted abroad as saber-rattling. U.S. allies have remained silent so far, while critics from within NATO privately described the move as “unhelpful in a time of global insecurity.”

As the parade planning proceeds, so do preparations for counter-demonstrations. Veterans groups, anti-war activists, and civil rights organizations have vowed to protest the use of public funds for what they describe as a “vanity show.”

Whether the event will inspire patriotism or provoke further backlash remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: Trump’s birthday will not be a quiet affair.