Nearly 7,000 troops, tanks and parachute jumps: A possible military parade coinciding with Trump’s birthday

The U.S. Army is weighing plans for a historic parade through the streets of Washington, D.C., this June that would involve some 6,600 soldiers, tanks and infantry vehicles, helicopter flyovers and parachute jumps, according to several people familiar with the planning effort.

The June 14 parade, if approved, would coincide with and be part of the Army’s long-planned 250th celebration, as well as occur on President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday.

The Army will commemorate its milestone birthday with a festival on the National Mall that would include a fitness expo, staged vehicles and historical memorabilia. Officials said the parade is a possible add-on and cautioned that no final decisions have been made.

The Associated Press first reported details involving the latest plans.

The timing and White House involvement in planning efforts has stoked speculation that Trump is using the Army’s birthday as an excuse to get the kind of grand military parade he wanted during his first term in office. That event was scrapped after estimates topped $90 million.

The cost for this year’s June 14 parade is unclear, officials said, but it would likely be steep. The event would require involvement from several federal agencies, including those requiring security. The Army plans to have soldiers from each of the its 10 divisions represented in the parade, should it be approved, according to a U.S. official.

Earlier this year, city officials expressed concern that heavy vehicles such as tanks would tear up the roads and noted the city would require significant reimbursement to fix any damaged infrastructure.

The tanks would not be allowed to cross the bridges from Virginia into Washington, D.C., only allowing them to operate inside the city along certain roads, according to one official familiar with the planning.

Last month, the Army confirmed the possibility of a parade but called it pre-decisional.