Trump's dream Fourth of July celebration could cause a bridge collapse
President Trump really, really wants tanks to roll up at his Fourth of July celebration.
So much so that he's risking the destruction of Washington, D.C.'s infrastructure just to bring them to the city. Despite concerns over the health of the capital's roads, bridges, and monuments, at least two tanks and other military vehicles have already arrived at a train station at the edge of D.C., The Associated Press reports.
Trump has long pushed for a military parade, and even started planning one for last Veteran's Day before those discussions tapered off. This Independence Day, a military vehicle-filled extravaganza actually seems like a reality. Trump has proudly claimed that he'll have "brand new Sherman tanks" on display this Thursday, though he didn't explain how he'll get new builds of vehicles that haven't been in service since the 1950s.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The tanks' location is particularly relevant given that Arlington Memorial Bridge, which links the Lincoln Memorial with Arlington National Cemetery, may not be able to support their weight, The New York Times reports. Engineers are also reportedly mapping out whether the heavy vehicles will damage underground rooms at the Lincoln Memorial, where Trump told reporters tanks would be "stationed outside," per The Washington Post.
Even if the tanks stay off the Arlington bridge, they're still likely to tear up D.C.'s roads as they head to the National Mall. Former GOP House Speaker Newt Gingrich has decided this isn't a problem, telling the Times that "other than the fact they have to pay to fix the streets, who cares?"
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
‘Furious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right’ by Laura K. Field and ‘The Dream Factory: London’s First Playhouse and the Making of William Shakespeare’ by Daniel SwiftFeature An insider’s POV on the GOP and the untold story of Shakespeare’s first theater
-
How to shop smarter with a grocery budgetThe Explainer No more pushing your cart down the aisles on autopilot
-
Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secretsfeature Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia, through Feb. 22
-
Ex-FBI agents sue Patel over protest firingspeed read The former FBI agents were fired for kneeling during a 2020 racial justice protest for ‘apolitical tactical reasons’
-
Trump unveils $12B bailout for tariff-hit farmersSpeed Read The president continues to insist that his tariff policy is working
-
Trump’s Comey case dealt new setbackspeed read A federal judge ruled that key evidence could not be used in an effort to reindict former FBI Director James Comey
-
Moscow cheers Trump’s new ‘America First’ strategyspeed read The president’s national security strategy seeks ‘strategic stability’ with Russia
-
Trump tightens restrictions for work visasSpeed Read The length of work permits for asylum seekers and refugees has been shortened from five years to 18 months
-
Supreme Court revives Texas GOP gerrymanderSpeed Read Texas Republicans can use the congressional map they approved in August at President Donald Trump’s behest
-
Boat strike footage rattles some lawmakersSpeed Read ‘Disturbing’ footage of the Sept. 2 attack on an alleged drug-trafficking boat also shows the second strike that killed two survivors who were clinging to the wreckage
-
Trump boosts gas cars in fuel economy rollbackspeed read Watering down fuel efficiency standards is another blow to former President Biden’s effort to boost electric vehicles
