Fact check: When did Trump first propose having military parades in Washington DC?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, Trump's first proposal for military parades in Washington DC can be traced to multiple timepoints during 2017:

• Before his inauguration: Trump mentioned his desire for a military parade in an interview with The Washington Post, stating "We're going to show the people as we build up our military... That military may come marching down Pennsylvania Avenue" ^[1]
• July 2017: Trump attended France's Bastille Day military parade and was inspired by the display, reportedly saying "We're going to have to try and top it" ^{[2] [3]}
• September 2017: Trump announced his idea of staging a grand parade of the armed forces in Washington on July 4 during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron ^[4]

The formal planning process began in early 2018, with a January 18 meeting between Trump and top Pentagon generals marking a significant tipping point in moving the proposal forward ^[5]. However, the original parade was ultimately scrapped due to excessive costs during his first term ^[3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The analyses reveal several important contextual elements not addressed in the original question:

• International inspiration: Trump's proposal was directly influenced by his attendance at France's Bastille Day parade in 2017, suggesting the idea was reactive rather than original ^{[2] [3]}
• Cost considerations: The original parade proposal during Trump's first term was abandoned because it was "deemed too expensive," indicating financial constraints played a major role in the decision-making process ^[3]
• Recent developments: As of 2025, Trump has successfully organized a military parade to celebrate both the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary and his 79th birthday, with an estimated cost of $45 million ^{[6] [7]}
• Opposition and controversy: There were "No Kings protests" associated with the recent parade, suggesting significant public opposition to the military display ^[8]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself does not contain misinformation, as it simply asks for factual information about timing. However, the question's framing could benefit from additional context:

• The question implies a single "first proposal" when the evidence suggests multiple iterations and announcements throughout 2017 ^{[1] [4] [2]}
• The question doesn't acknowledge that Trump's military parade concept has evolved over time - from his first-term proposals that were cancelled to the successful 2025 parade ^{[6] [3]}
• One analysis suggests that "saner minds managed to talk him down" during his first term, indicating there may have been institutional resistance to the parade concept that isn't reflected in the straightforward nature of the question ^[8]