Congressman Crow Recognizes Army Birthday, Opposes President Trump’s Vanity Parade

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO-06) led his congressional colleagues in sending a letter to the Trump administration to recognize the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army and raise serious questions about how much the President’s upcoming military parade will cost and impact readiness. The letter was signed by Crow, Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA-06), and 18 other members.

“We fully support commemorating the Army’s founding. However, the size, scope, and execution of the upcoming 250th Birthday Parade in Washington, D.C., raise serious concerns, at a time when the Army faces severe budget constraints, and the Trump administration is supposedly focused on reducing unnecessary government spending,” the letter reads.

“Our nation owes a debt of gratitude to our troops who put on the uniform. The Army’s 250th birthday is an important milestone worthy of recognition, but President Trump is doing it wrong. We should not be pulling thousands of troops away from their training and their families so the President can boost his ego. Spending tens of millions of taxpayer dollars on Donald Trump’s vanity parade, at the same time this administration is firing veterans and cutting the VA, is wrong,” said Congressman Crow. 

Estimates say this parade will cost upwards of $45 million, and could require millions to repair the streets. Over 6,600 soldiers will be brought in from around the country to participate in this weekend’s event. Additionally, hundreds of ground equipment and aircraft will be moved from strategic positions around the country to D.C. for this event, potentially impacting military readiness. The president has long desired a personal military parade, and will come at the taxpayer expense while this administration claims it is prioritizing rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse.

A PDF of the letter can be found here, with full text appearing below: 

June 11, 2025

Dear Secretary Driscoll, 

We are excited to celebrate the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States Army. Since its founding on June 14, 1775, the Army has served as a bedrock of American strength—defending liberty and responding to crises around the world. As Members of Congress, we join the nation in honoring this extraordinary legacy and the soldiers who uphold it. 

We fully support commemorating the Army’s founding. However, the size, scope, and execution of the upcoming 250th Birthday Parade in Washington, D.C., raise serious concerns, at a time when the Army faces severe budget constraints, and the Trump administration is supposedly focused on reducing unnecessary government spending. Given President Trump’s longstanding personal desire for a military parade, we have important questions about the pressure that may have been put on the Army to plan a far more militaristic parade with greater cost and operational impact than the Army would have independently chosen. 

We also have important questions regarding the cost, funding, operational justification, and the treatment of participating troops. Cutting costs at the margin by not serving soldiers hot meals, while sending dozens of unnecessary armored vehicles, does not prioritize the troops and is irresponsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. A celebration of this magnitude must reflect our principles: respect for service, fiscal responsibility, and a clear-eyed view of readiness. 

To that end, we request your response to the following: 

Funding Sources  

• What is the total estimated cost of the parade?  
• What is the estimated cost for each unit participating? Please provide sources of funding for personnel transportation, lodging, meals, equipment transport, and other associated costs for each participating unit. 

Troop Accommodation  

• Why are soldiers being housed on cots in federal office buildings instead of standard military or contracted lodging? How much money does this save compared to housing them in hotels?
• Why are soldiers being provided MREs for breakfast and lunch, with only one hot dinner meal each day?  
• How much money is the Army saving by only having one hot meal per day as opposed to three? 

Readiness Impact  

• Are any of the participating units currently preparing for, or recently returned from, an operational deployment?  
• What measures are being taken to ensure that participation in this event does not disrupt training schedules, pre-deployment certification, or force availability? 

Use of Heavy Equipment  

• Who requested or ordered the inclusion of tanks and other heavy armored vehicles in the parade? When was this request made, and what were the details of the request?  
• What operational or ceremonial purpose does the participation of 24 of the same vehicle serve, as opposed to including just two or four of each vehicle type?  
• How much of the total cost of the parade is due to the requirements associated with including these armored vehicles? 

Infrastructure and Mitigation  

• What steps are being taken to predict and prevent potential damage to roads and other infrastructure in Washington, D.C.?  
• Has the Army assessed the cost of any potential damage, and who will bear those costs?  
• Will the Army conduct the repairs? If yes, how quickly do you expect to be able to do so? 

White House Involvement  

• Has the White House played any role in the planning or direction of this event? If so, please provide a detailed description of the extent and nature of that involvement. 

This anniversary should unite the country around the shared sacrifice and service of our military—not distract from the Army’s core mission or become a partisan spectacle. We ask that your office provide answers to the above questions and share any relevant planning materials, budget justifications, and interagency communications by June 26th, 2025. 

Thank you for your leadership, and for your continued commitment to the men and women of the United States Army. 

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