Trump's military parade: Who is expected to attend?
President Trump military parade speech: ‘A magnificent display’
President Donald Trump spoke at the military parade in Washington, D.C. on June 14, 2025, celebrating "every generation of warriors" to have served in the U.S. Army.
WASHINGTON - As Washington D.C. prepares for the Army’s 250th anniversary parade on Saturday, speculation continues about which familiar faces might join.
GOP figures mostly sitting it out
Only seven Republican lawmakers have committed to attending the parade, including high-profile Trump allies like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Elise Stefanik, reports Politico. But major figures — Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Majority Whip John Barrasso, and Armed Services Committee heads — are notably absent.
West Virginia Governor and U.S. Senate candidate Jim Justice said he would not attend.
"That doesn’t mean that I’m against it," said Justice. "It’s great celebrating President Trump’s birthday, and I think it’s great celebrating the military. We haven’t done that in a long time."
Democratic Rep. Don Beyer strongly criticized the event.
"Like his deployment of the military in L.A., it’s a shocking waste of money at a time they are closing Social Security offices ‘to save money,’" Beyer said in a statement. "They’re shutting down our regional transportation including the airport for this, and people I hear from in the military don’t even want it. The whole thing is just to boost Trump’s fragile ego."
Criticism has centered on the price, projected at $45 million, and comparisons to military pageantry in authoritarian countries.
Trump family presence
Melania Trump hasn’t confirmed whether she will attend, but she did recently join her husband at the Kennedy Center for opening night of Les Misérables.
Donald Jr., Barron, Ivanka, Eric, and Tiffany Trump have given no public indication regarding their attendance.
Previous administrations likely to skip
Despite both former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden showing strong public support for the U.S. military, neither has signaled plans to attend.
Celebrities silent so far
Outside of country singer Noah Hicks, who is confirmed to perform, there’s been little sign of celebrity attendance. No posts or confirmations have come from stars traditionally aligned with Trump, like Kid Rock or Kanye West.
In the tech world, Elon Musk recently made amends with Trump — but hasn't said anything about attending the parade. There's no post engagement or public hint, though it’s within the realm of possibility.
Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos, both with documented past ties to Trump-related events and organizations, have remained silent as well.