D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser responded to reports that the White House is planning a large-scale military parade through the District.
Speaking in a press briefing Monday, Bowser said she believes the Trump administration has reached out to the city’s Special Events Task Force, which typically handles District events like parades, and that the event is in its early stages of planning.
“I don’t know if it’s been characterized as a military parade, but maybe it has,” Bowser said, who added that she hasn’t been “directly involved” in discussions for the possible parade.
The Washington City Paper was the first to report claims of the event’s planning. It would begin at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and end at the White House.
The parade would take place take place on June 14 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. The date also happens to be President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday.
The Associated Press reported Monday that the Army is in early discussions in adding a parade to its birthday festival. The celebration, which has been in the planning stages for about two years, is to include an array of activities and displays on the National Mall, including Army Stryker armored vehicles, Humvees, helicopters and other equipment.
In a statement, Col. David Butler, an Army spokesman, said that “it’s too early to say yet whether or not we’re having a parade but we’re working with the White House as well as several government agencies to make the celebration a national level event.”
The White House in a statement said that “no military parade has been scheduled.”
In 2018, during his first presidential term, Trump announced plans for a similar event where he hoped to parade military tanks and planes down Pennsylvania Avenue. He ultimately canceled the event following complaints from D.C. officials and word from military leaders that it could cost up to $92 million.
According to sources familiar with the event, Trump once again envisions heavy military equipment and personnel parading down D.C. streets this summer, but, Bowser expressed concern.
“If military tanks were used, they should be accompanied with many millions of dollars to repair the roads,” she said.
Officials in Arlington have said they were given a “heads up” about the parade by the White House — but that they’ve seen no formal request.
WTOP has reached out to the White House for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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