Sherman and Abram war tanks, along with flyovers of “the best fighter jets in the world”, plus the presence of the U.S. president, addressing “a few words,” make up the sketch of what the press has called Donald Trump’s “mysterious” July 4 gathering to celebrate Independence Day.
What had been a wave of unofficial information now it has become a decision, after the Head of State himself confirmed that he will take the tanks out into Washington streets to celebrate July 4.
Big 4th of July in D.C. “Salute to America.” The Pentagon & our great Military Leaders are thrilled to be doing this & showing to the American people, among other things, the strongest and most advanced Military anywhere in the World. Incredible Flyovers & biggest ever Fireworks!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 2, 2019
A teaser campaign has been launched by the former reality-TV show star, who for weeks has been generating expectations about this event, which as far as it is known, it will take place on the stairs leading to the famous Abraham Lincoln monument.
Of course, the location has not been chosen carelessly, because it was the same place where the charismatic American leader Martin Luther King pronounced his famous “I have a dream” speech in 1963.
The American press is full of guesswork and is rushing to confirm details. The President’s tweet announced what until hours ago, was almost impossible.
Some journalists have said that Trump himself is producing the event called “Salute to America.”. It will take place before the traditional fireworks and in addition to tanks there will also be fighter jets and the Air Force One.
“We’re going to have a great Fourth of July in Washington, D.C. It’ll be special and I hope a lot of people come. And it’s going to be about this country and it’s a salute to America” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
” I’m going to be here and I’m going to say a few words and we’re going to have planes going overhead, the best fighter jets in the world and other planes too and we’re gonna have some tanks stationed outside,” he said.
“You’ve got to be pretty careful with the tanks because the roads have a tendency not to like to carry heavy tanks so we have to put them in certain areas but we have the brand new Sherman tanks and we have the brand new Abrams tanks,” he added.
With reports of tanks in the streets, the Washington Council dismissed that possibility and stated that the Pentagon rejected the idea last year plan of a military parade in the federal captital because it could damage the city’s infrastructure.
Trump has been trying to organize holding some sort of military exhibition in Washington since he attended the 14 July Bastille Day military parade in Paris invited by French President Emmanuel Macron in 2017.
The U.S. president ordered the Pentagon to organize a parade in Washington for July 4, 2018, an idea that was later postponed to November 11, Veterans Day, and finally it was discarded when leaked information set its cost around $100 million.
Translated by: José Espinoza