Fact check: Which US presidents have held military parades during their term?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, several US presidents have held military parades during their terms:

Historical Presidents:

• President Andrew Johnson held the Grand Review of the Armies in 1865 ^{[1] [2]}
• President William McKinley held military parades or reviews during his presidency ^[2]
• President Woodrow Wilson conducted military reviews ^[2]
• President Franklin Roosevelt held military parades during his term ^[2]
• President Dwight Eisenhower organized military reviews ^[2]
• President John F. Kennedy held military parades or reviews ^[2]

Modern Era Presidents:

• President George H.W. Bush held a major military parade in 1991 to commemorate the end of the Gulf War/Desert Storm ^{[1] [3] [2] [4]}
• President George W. Bush held military parades during his presidency ^[2]
• President Donald Trump held a military parade during his term to mark the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary, which coincided with his 79th birthday and Flag Day ^{[5] [6] [7]}

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks important contextual information about the nature and frequency of these parades:

• Rarity in modern times: The analyses reveal that military parades have been extremely rare in the United States, with only one major parade occurring since World War II before Trump's parade - Bush's 1991 Gulf War victory celebration ^{[3] [4]}
• Cultural and political context: Trump's military parade was inspired by France's Bastille Day parade, but such displays are more commonly associated with authoritarian regimes rather than democratic traditions ^[8]. The US has not maintained a modern tradition of public military parades ^[8]
• Significant costs and logistical challenges: Trump's parade carried a $45 million price tag ^{[5] [6]} and was estimated to potentially cause $16 million in damage to Washington streets ^[7]
• Historical significance: Trump's parade was noted as the first DC military parade in 34 years ^[6], emphasizing how uncommon such events have become in American political culture

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself does not contain misinformation or bias - it is a straightforward factual inquiry. However, the question's simplicity could lead to incomplete understanding without proper context:

• The question doesn't distinguish between different types of military displays (parades vs. reviews vs. victory celebrations)
• It doesn't acknowledge the significant shift in American political culture away from regular military parades
• Without context, the answer might suggest military parades are a normal presidential tradition, when in fact they have been exceptionally rare in modern American history

The analyses consistently show that while multiple presidents have held military parades, this practice has been largely abandoned in contemporary American politics, making recent examples particularly noteworthy departures from established norms.