Trump says America will 'certainly' begin holding military parades on the Fourth of July

Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump. — (Image credit: Screenshot/Twitter/NBCNews)

President Trump was dazzled by a military parade on Bastille Day in Paris earlier this year, and during a press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, he suggested America will hold its own military parades on future Fourths of July.

Trump's proposal initially drew laughs from the crowd, but he doubled down on the idea after the snickers subsided. "We're actually thinking about Fourth of July, Pennsylvania Avenue, having a really great parade to show our military strength. You know, this year, we've spent $700 billion, more than we've ever spent, on the military," Trump said. "And I think we're really looking forward to doing that. Speaking with Gen. [John] Kelly and all the people involved. And we didn't do it this year but we certainly will be beginning to do that."

Trump has flirted with the idea of making military parades great again before. While president-elect, he told The Washington Post "that military may come marching down Pennsylvania Avenue. That military may be flying over New York City and Washington, D.C. for parades." Trump additionally hadn't planned to visit France for Bastille Day until he reportedly heard there would be a military parade to watch.

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Watch Trump's comments below. Jeva Lange

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.