Donald Trump wants a military parade.
“President Trump is incredibly supportive of America’s great service members who risk their lives every day to keep our country safe,” White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement, following a report in the Washington Post. “He has asked the Department of Defense to explore a celebration at which all Americans can show their appreciation.”
Presumably, she means both an appreciation for the country’s military and for Trump himself. Let’s not forget that the president recently called Democrats “treasonous” for not applauding his State of the Union address, which one law professor called “a profoundly stupid and ignorant statement.”
The last such parade in the United States was in 1991, marking victory in the Gulf War. It cost the country $12 million, according to C-SPAN. Since it’s been more than 20 years, we thought it might be helpful to take a look at global parade developments since then.
It was a great honor to represent the United States at the magnificent #BastilleDay parade. Congratulations President @EmmanuelMacron! pic.twitter.com/1J4vZiy98y
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2017
France holds its Bastille Day Military Parade every July 14, and last year’s, it seems, is where Trump’s plan really gained traction.
Zakaria Abdelkafi/AFP via Getty Images
It featured 6,500 soldiers, which is probably not enough for Trump. But the president reacted with an enthusiasm that he usually reserves for fire engines and big trucks.
Thierry Chesnot/Getty Images
North Korea’s annual display of power/display of being able to march in very straight lines may be closer to what Trump is looking for. (The sound of thousands of soldiers roaring out chants honoring their Dear Leader is probably appealing as well.)
Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images
He may want to take a pass on inviting any Brits, though.
Effigies of Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un were paraded through the streets of Lewes, England during Bonfire Night celebrations last year | Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP via Getty Images
Depending on what you think about clowns, this may be more or less terrifying than thousands of soldiers and tanks on the streets of Washington.
The Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife | Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images
Other world leaders who weren’t shy about their love of pomp, circumstance and gold-plated things have enjoyed parades as well.
Muammar Gaddafi watches a parade marking the 40th anniversary of his coming to power in Libya | Zohra Bensemra/Reuters
Vladimir Putin is big on parades. In 2015, the Victory Day Parade in Moscow — the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II — was the country’s biggest ever. More than 16,500 troops marched in unison and more than 100 aircraft flew overhead.
Mikhail Voskresenskiy/AFP via Getty Images
RIA Novosti via Getty Images
But it’s not all about size, is it?
After all, President Trump seemed plenty happy with a parade of golf-cart-riding pensioners in The Villages, a retirement community in Florida.
Great parade in The Villages- I love you all. We will #MAGA. Thank you for the incredible support-I will not forget! pic.twitter.com/5qTDijU3hn
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 16, 2016
And 12 years after he was Grand Marshal of the Salute to Israel Parade, he was still recalling it fondly.
It was an honor to be the Grand Marshall- in the Salute to Israel Parade back in 2004. pic.twitter.com/G7G6HFP0Dh
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 27, 2016