Fact check: Who initiated the plan to have a parade for us army 250th

1. Summary of the results

There are conflicting accounts about who initiated the parade:

• One narrative suggests it was initiated by Donald Trump during his second term, with the Army acknowledging that while general 250th birthday celebrations were in planning, the specific parade was Trump's idea ^[1]
• The opposing narrative indicates that the parade was initiated by the U.S. Army itself, with plans beginning before Trump was elected ^[2]
• The parade will feature 6,169 soldiers, 128 Army tanks, and 62 aircraft, with an estimated cost between $25-45 million ^[3]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements were omitted from the original question:

• The parade coincides with three significant dates: Trump's 79th birthday, Flag Day, and the Army's 250th anniversary, all on June 14 ^[1]
• While the Army had been planning some form of 250th birthday celebration for two years, the specific parade planning began more recently ^[1]
• The Pentagon was notably more acquiescent to the parade idea during Trump's second term compared to his first term ^[1]
• The Army officially claimed it had no plans to recognize Trump's birthday, despite his major role in the celebrations ^[4]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The question's simplicity masks several important considerations:

• There appears to be a deliberate effort to control the narrative from both sides:
• Trump supporters benefit from portraying it as his initiative, reinforcing his influence over military matters
• The Army benefits from presenting it as their own long-planned celebration to maintain institutional independence
• The timing creates natural confusion about the parade's true purpose, as it serves multiple commemorative functions ^[5]
• The significant cost ($25-45 million) and scale of the parade suggests substantial planning and multiple stakeholders were involved in its conception and execution ^[3]