This weekend, Trump will cap off a week of siccing the U.S. military on its own citizens by celebrating the military’s 250th birthday in an ostentatious, multi-million-dollar parade and festival, replete with tanks, armored vehicles, 50 helicopters, and – for some reason – two mules and a dog.
The event is taking place Saturday (coincidentally enough, the president’s 79th birthday), but preparations for the celebration — a spectacle unlike anything in recent American military history — will start earlier in the week. The setup will involve closing roads, restricting parking, and generally making getting around downtown D.C. a nightmare for four days.
Here’s what you need to know about the big show — especially if you’re trying to avoid it.
With your help, we pursue stories that hold leaders to account, demystify opaque city and civic processes, and celebrate the idiosyncrasies that make us proud to call D.C. home. Put simply, our mission is to make it easier — and more fun — to live in the District. Our members help keep local news free and independent for all:
