President Donald Trump orders Pentagon to show US military strength through a parade

Washington: United States President Donald Trump has ordered its defence headquarters, the Pentagon, to arrange for a military parade. President Trump has made preparations to exhibit the US military strength by including US soldiers, tanks and missiles in the military parade, this year. This information was published by ‘The Washington Post’, a leading daily in the US.

Last month, on 18th of January, President Trump had meeting with the Pentagon officials. The US Secretary of Defence, James Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff, General Joseph Dunford also attended the meeting. The US officials said, while talking to the daily, that this was a secret meeting between President Trump and the military officials. President Trump ordered the Pentagon officials about the military parade.

The US official connected with this development, told the US daily that President Trump had suggested, ‘Arrange a military parade in the US on the similar lines of ‘Bastille Day’ arranged in France’. The White House officials have said that this information is of a preliminary nature and the final decision is still not made. But, the White House press secretary ‘Sarah Huckabee’ has confirmed the news.

‘President Trump is a big supporter of the US soldiers risking their lives for the United States’ safety. President Trump wants to arrange a special program for these soldiers. President Trump suggested to the Pentgon that this parade will give an opportunity to the US people to appreciate their military’, informed Huckabee. ‘Thomas Crosson’, a Pentagon spokesman, said that the senior officials of the Pentagon are thinking about the possible alternatives. But, Crosson clarified that the date for this parade has not been finalised.

President Trump visited France last year. After an invitation from the French President Macron, President Trump attended the ‘Bastille Day’ in Paris. There was a big parade by the French Soldiers. A contingent of the US soldiers had also participated in the Parade.

There is no tradition of military parade in the US. Every year, on the 4th of July, retired US Military officers and administrative officers arrange parades in different cities. Some US soldiers participate in these parades. The US media are claiming that this is not like the military parades in Russia, France and India. President Trump, therefore, has demanded to arrange the military parade so that the military should receive appreciation.

Meanwhile, some of the US leaders and the retired military officers are not in agreement with President Trump, with regards to this plan. President Trump’s plan is not right, criticised, John Kirby an ex-navy officer who has worked as a former Pentagon spokesman in the Obama administration. This US military parade can amount to show of strength. With this the US may send wrong signals to the opposition nations, is the criticism by some of the Democratic Party leaders.