Fact check: When did Trump first say he wanted a parade for his birthday?

1. Summary of the results

The question itself contains an incorrect premise. Trump never specifically requested a parade for his birthday. Instead, his first documented interest in a military parade came after witnessing France's Bastille Day parade in 2017 ^[1]. The current situation involves a planned military parade on June 14, 2025, which coincidentally falls on Trump's birthday but is officially commemorating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army ^{[2] [3]}.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements are missing from the original question:

• Trump's first actual attempt to organize a military parade was in 2018, which was cancelled due to high costs estimated at $92 million ^{[4] [5]}
• The current parade has been in planning for almost two years ^[3]
• Army officials have explicitly stated they are not officially recognizing Trump's birthday during the event ^[3]
• Trump had previously attempted to organize a military parade during his first term, which was rejected by generals ^[6]
• A satirical article by The Borowitz Report falsely claiming Trump was denied a birthday parade has been circulating, contributing to confusion about the event ^[7]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question reflects several common misconceptions:

• It assumes Trump specifically requested a birthday parade, when in fact his interest in military parades was inspired by France's Bastille Day celebrations ^[1]
• It overlooks the fact that the June 14, 2025 parade is primarily about the Army's anniversary ^[8]
• The timing appears to be coincidental rather than intentional, though Trump is expected to deliver a speech at the event ^[6]

This situation benefits multiple parties:

• The U.S. Army gets to celebrate its anniversary with a major event
• Trump benefits from the coincidental timing and speaking opportunity
• Media outlets benefit from the controversy and speculation about the parade's true purpose