Trump plans enormous military parade on his birthday
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser on Monday also confirmed that the city is having discussions with the administration about it.
Moderated by Tomas Kauer 
The Trump administration is in the early stages of planning for a military parade to take place in Washington, DC, in June to commemorate the Army's 250th anniversary, two defence officials told CNN on Monday.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser on Monday also confirmed that the city is having discussions with the administration about it, a day after the Washington City Paper reported on the plans for a military parade to be held on June 14.
That date is both the 250th anniversary of the establishment of the US Army and President Donald Trump's 79th birthday.
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Preliminary plans call for the parade to stretch from the Pentagon in Arlington to the White House, defence officials told CNN.
Asked about the parade on Monday, Bowser told reporters that the administration had reached out to DC city officials recently to discuss the idea.
"I haven't been directly involved in it yet," she said.
"I understand that – I think it was Homeland Security, maybe the White House – reached out to our special events task force, which is what most people wanting to do a parade do in the district.
So, I would say it's at its early stages. Yes, they have reached out. I don't know if it's being characterised as a military parade."
A defence official told CNN on Monday that plans for a big celebration for the Army's 250th birthday have been under consideration for roughly a year and began before the election in November.
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But the idea of adding a parade to the celebration came up more recently in conversations between the Army and the White House, which has been leading on the parade effort and planning in recent weeks, another defence official said.
Trump has not yet signed off on final plans for the parade, however, the officials said.
Army spokesperson Colonel Dave Butler told CNN that "any discussion of the parade is pre-decisional at this point.
We are intending to have a national-level celebration to help build pride in America's army and increase pride in America."
Given the significant milestone of 250 years, the officials said the Army has been looking over options to make its annual celebration far bigger, with more capability demonstrations, static displays of equipment, and more engagement with the community.
The event will likely involve the Army's demonstration parachute team, the Golden Knights, armoured Bradley Fighting Vehicles and Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, the officials said, though it would likely not include M-1 Abrams tanks due to their size and weight.
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Bowser on Monday expressed concern over the possibility that tanks could damage DC streets, but one of the defence officials emphasized that the Army is working in coordination with civil engineers to ensure there is no damage to roadways if there is a parade.
The parade planning harkens back to Trump's first term, when he hoped to host a military-style parade but called it off after the city said it would cost tens of millions of dollars, CNN previously reported.
It is not clear how much the parade is estimated to cost this time around.
A spokesperson for the mayor did not immediately respond to a question asking for more details about the administration's coordination with the city to plan a parade.
CNN has reached out to the White House and DHS for comment.
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Arlington County Chair Takis Karantonis said in a statement on Monday that the county was contacted by the Secret Service on Friday "regarding the possibility of a military parade to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the US Army, but no further details were offered."
The county, which is home to the Pentagon and many active and retired military personnel, has not received a formal request from the federal government for any assistance for the parade, he added.
"At this time, it is not clear to me what the scope of the parade would … be," Karantonis said, "but I would hope the Federal Government remains sensitive to the pain and concerns of numerous active military and veteran residents, who have lost or might lose their jobs in recent federal decisions, as they reflect on how best to celebrate the Army's anniversary."
