US President Donald Trump's 79th birthday bash: Everything you need to know about the extravagant celebrations

President Donald Trump is finally getting the grand military spectacle he’s long desired—and it’s landing on his 79th birthday. On June 14, the U.S. Army will mark its 250th anniversary with a full-throttle celebration in Washington, D.C., a plan that just so happens to double as a birthday bash for the commander-in-chief.

Here's a breakdown of everything we know about what promises to be one of the most headline-grabbing events of 2025—
Where and when is the party?Festivities are planned throughout the first week of June, but the main event falls on June 14—also Flag Day and Trump’s birthday.

According to a planning document obtained by Reuters, the day begins with a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, followed by a fitness competition and an Army birthday festival on the National Mall, featuring military demonstrations and equipment displays.


By evening, the streets of D.C. will fill with marching troops, tanks, and helicopters for a massive parade, ending with an enlistment and re-enlistment ceremony presided over by Trump himself, followed by a fireworks show.

The military muscleIt’s set to be a military lover’s dream. Per Army planning documents dated April 29 and 30, the parade will feature:

• 6,600 soldiers
  
  
  
• 150 vehicles, including M1 Abrams tanks, Strykers, Bradleys, Howitzers, and Paladin artillery
  
  
  
• 50 aircraft
  
  
  
• Historic military reenactors from every major U.S. conflict, from the Revolutionary War to the Global War on Terror
  
  
  

The heavier vehicles—like tanks—will avoid crossing bridges into the city. Instead, they’ll join the parade near the Lincoln Memorial, according to the Associated Press. Army spokesman Steve Warren told the Washington Post that the vehicles would arrive in the region by train and be trucked into the city.


What’s it costing taxpayers?The price tag? Between $25 million and $45 million, according to Reuters. That figure covers the military logistics, but not the cost to D.C. for road repairs, crowd control, or cleanup.

One official noted the parade alone added “several million dollars” more to the Army’s budget.

Trump, for his part, dismissed cost concerns in a May 4 interview with NBC News, saying:

“Peanuts compared to the value of doing it... We have the greatest missiles in the world. We have the greatest submarines in the world. We have the greatest army tanks in the world. We have the greatest weapons in the world. And we’re going to celebrate it.”

A birthday… coincidence?The White House insists the date is no vanity project. “My birthday happens to be on Flag Day,” Trump told NBC News. “I view it for Flag Day, not necessarily my birthday. Somebody put it together.”

Music, food & fireworksAccording to a May 9 National Park Service application obtained by Axios, the event will also feature:

• A concert on the Ellipse with 5-7 musical acts, likely country performers
  
  
  
• Food and drink stalls, restroom facilities, and shaded seating
  
  
  
• A parachute jump by the Golden Knights
  
  
  
• A fireworks show at 9:45 p.m.
  
  
  

Why is this parade so controversial?

Critics have long called Trump’s parade obsession a show of “authoritarian” symbolism. His initial attempt in 2018 was scrapped after the Pentagon estimated it would cost $92 million, with D.C. officials balking at the idea of tanks on city roads.

As the Washington Post reported, Trump was obsessed with military parades after watching France’s Bastille Day celebration in 2017: “He eagerly leaned forward as he took in the spectacle… jumping to his feet and applauding with an enthusiasm that exceeded the response of those around him.”

Despite claiming to cancel the 2018 parade due to cost, Trump tweeted: “The local politicians who run Washington, D.C. (poorly) know a windfall when they see it... They wanted a number so ridiculously high that I cancelled it. Never let someone hold you up!”