Security Assessment: US Army's 250th Anniversary Parade, Washington DC
- gregorio46
- Jun 3
- 7 min read
Washington, DC Military Parade Celebrating the US Army’s 250th Anniversary, June 14th, 2025
Executive Summary
A major military parade is planned for 14 June this year in Washington, DC for the 250th anniversary of the US Army’s founding. The parade, which coincides with US President Donald Trump’s birthday, although with no official connection to it, will see him actively participating in the event with a speech to the nation. The event is expected to see the participation of 200,000 spectators, 7,000 troops, 150 military vehicles, including 50 helicopters flying over the city. The political significance of the event, along with the diversity of actors involved (public, military, political leaders), will require some of the most significant planning, risk assessment and counter-threat measures by different US government agencies, possibly comparable to presidential inaugurations in the country. These types of events are not common in the US, with the last military parade of this kind taking place in 1991 to mark the victory of Operation Desert Storm. Airspace, land, and river routes will be closed during the event, and possibly in the days leading up to it, causing significant disruptions to flights, traffic, and other non-event-related activities, including those of major companies and logistics providers.
Participating
According to numerous news reports and quotes from officials, approximately 150 military vehicles are expected to participate in the parade. This includes 28 M1A1 Abrams tanks, 28 Bradley and 28 Stryker armoured personnel carriers, 4 Paladin self-propelled artillery, unspecified number of towed artillery pieces, dozens of other ground vehicles, historical military vehicles such as the M4 Sherman tank, eight bands, 36 horses, in addition to around 7,000 troops marching the streets.
Airspace in the immediate area during the event will be closed, with at least 50 military helicopters (AH-64 Apache, UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook) flying over the capital, in addition to historical aircraft such as the B-17 bomber, P-51 fighter, and C-47 transport aircraft. An unspecified number of the US Army’s Golden Nights paratroopers will parachute down towards the end of the parade to present President Donald Trump a flag.
A total of around 200,000 people are expected to attend the event, gathered around the immediate area of where the parade, around the National Mall.
Expected Schedule
The events are expected to last over 12 hours, and include events prior to the parade itself, such as exhibits of military hardware to the public. A large concert is planned after the parade at The Ellipse, a large open area adjacent to the White House. According to different reports, including official notifications, the following events are expected:
08:00 hours - Guest entry for the Army Fitness Competition and Festival, which is expected to be in the National Mall area, a series of parks along Constitution Ave, housing the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and other historical landmarks.
14:00 hours - Guest entry for the parade
18:30 hours - Parade and celebration begin
19:30 hours - Parade ends
19:30 hours - Concert at The Ellipse starts
21:30 hours - Event ends
21:45 hours - Fireworks show
Locations and areas affected
Before, during, and after the event, land, sea, and air routes are expected to be affected. As such, all air, land and sea traffic will require rerouting and should expect delays while travelling through the Washington, DC area and its surroundings.
Airspace
Airspace in and around the capital is expected to be closed during the event as around 50 AH-64 Apaches, UH-60 Black Hawks, and CH-47 Chinooks military helicopters will be taking off from Joint Base Andrews (18 km southeast of the capital), flying in formation over the parade itself. The route takes the aircraft west over the Potomac River, where they are expected to turn north, then east over Constitution Avenue, to presumably return to the same airbase.
Presumed affected airspace above Washington, DC and surrounding areas on June 14th, 2025
Land routes
Land routes into the Washington, DC area will also be affected, given the high number of military vehicles and personnel participating in the event. Military personnel and hardware are expected to depart from an area between the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery, head across the Arlington Memorial Bridge, northbound on 23rd St and turn onto Constitution Ave, presumably turning right heading south through the 14th St bridge (reported closed on 14 June) into Virginia as they exit the parade grounds. The parade will pass through Constitution Ave (between 15th and 23rd streets), which suggests the streets will be closed at least several days before the event, as will other streets involved in the event. Additionally, metro stations will also be affected, with confirmation that the NW entrance of the Smithsonian Metro Station is closed. The public will convene along the parade route or the Washington Monument Grounds just before the event.
Land routes affected during the parade
River routes
As it usually occurs with major events, traffic through the Potomac River is expected to be closed during at least part of of the 14th of June. While no explicit mention of closures was identified at the time of writing, maritime traffic near the 14th St Bridge, which was closed during the event, will presumably be halted. Overall, the Potomac River may experience maritime traffic disruptions between Theodore Roosevelt Island and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, as bridges are used by military vehicles during the parade.
Expected Potomac River closure during the event
Risk Assessment
Due to the diversity of actors involved in the event, whether as participants or the general public, disruption risks remain high, both before, during, and after the event. Physical security challenges in the form of terrorism (group or lone-wolf), protests, radio interference (e.g. spoofing) and structural deficiencies (e.g. bridges, overpasses) will need to be thoroughly addressed.
Before the event
The days leading up to the event will likely see heightened security in the Washington, DC area, including locations that receive and house military personnel and equipment (e.g., West Potomac Park). Areas where participants and spectators are expected during the event will also come under scrutiny. Blind spots, infrastructure and areas of protest convergence will need to be secured. Security at this stage should focus on securing and protecting priority areas, such as routes and troop housing areas, as well as uncovering planned disruptions (attacks, protests). Troops are expected to be brought into the capital around 11 June, housed at the Department of Agriculture and General Services Administration building. Additional reports state they will be sleeping on military cots, possibly at specific areas outside of those buildings.
During the event
The physical security of not only the US president, but also the 200,000 civilians, 7,000 troops, and 150 military vehicles participating in the event, will remain essential. Risks such as mechanical failure, unintentional collisions and electrical jamming, in addition to planned protests or a domestic terrorism attack (firearms, IED, vehicle ramming, drone attack, etc.), aiming to disrupt the event, will remain priorities on the security list during the day.
Protests during the event, as had occurred during the last parade in 1991, are common in the Washington, DC area and also pose a disruption risk. The following open-source information on planned protests during the event was available at the time of writing:
An anti-parade rally by the Refuse Fascism group is scheduled to start at 13:00 hours at Logan Circle and proceed towards the White House. The group has 78,221 followers on Facebook, with the rally announcement receiving 105 likes, 70 shares and seven comments at the time of writing.
Protests against US President Trump are planned at unspecified highways and overpass bridges between 10:00 and 12:00 hours.
Reports indicate that between 10,000 and 20,000 individuals will participate in nationwide protests at unspecified locations related to the military parade.
Protests by “No Kings” activists are reportedly not expected to take place near the parade event.
After the event
After the event, all military hardware and personnel will return to their initial areas of deployment, via air and land. Domestic terrorism attacks, traffic accidents or incidents related to loading military hardware onto larger vehicles or trains cannot be ruled out. They will require the surveillance of security and other personnel. While protests at this stage can be ruled out as serious threats, domestic terrorism on military assets remains, although less likely than during the event itself.
Traveler advice
Visitors in Washington, DC will notice heightened security in and around the city. This will be more notable in the days immediately before the military parade. One may expect longer queues in public transport hubs, possible police searches at metro stations, areas and street segments near the National Mall closed off, along with the presence of armed security forces in those areas. Visitors should keep their identity documents with them at all times and adhere to instructions given by law enforcement.
Washington, DC’s mayor has warned that flight schedules on 14 June may be paused while the parade is underway, although definitive details will not be available until the Department of Defense releases its final flyover timetable. While Ronald Reagan National, Baltimore/Washington International, and Washington Dulles all have numerous departures that day, none are currently slated for the precise parade window. Travelers should therefore check directly with their carriers for the latest status of flights in and around 14 June.
Traffic heading into Washington, DC, is likely to be heavy, due to road closures and the influx of military convoys, especially around the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge, Arlington Memorial Bridge, I-395, and 14th Street bridges. In addition, streets leading to the National Mall are expected to be closed, requiring detours. Motorists should monitor real-time traffic advisories and allow extra travel time, as congestion could extend well beyond the immediate parade zone.
Conclusion
Overall, the 250th Army anniversary parade presents a particular convergence of risk-ridden factors, including large crowds, close formation of flights over Washington, DC, heavy military equipment alongside approximately 7,000 troops, the presence and participation of the US president and other senior politicians, among others. The most probable disruptions may come from protest groups and unforeseen incidents (collisions, technical issues). In contrast, the highest-risk disruptions, low in probability, are attacks using firearms or explosives by lone-wolf or groups against individuals at the event. Effective mitigation relies on the coordination of various government agencies and everyday citizens to report any unusual findings. A layered approach would be an effective method to counter potential threats, involving continuous monitoring and surveillance of high-risk elements.
