- Preparations for President Donald Trump's "Salute to America" Fourth of July parade are underway, as evidenced by numerous sightings of military vehicles in the streets of Washington, DC, on Tuesday night.
- Infantry variants of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV), an armored transport vehicle, were seen crossing a bridge and moving through the streets on top of a large truck.
- In addition to the BFVs, M1 Abrams tanks were also sighted in recent days.
- It would not the first time armored vehicles have rolled through Washington, DC.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
Preparations for President Donald Trump's "Salute to America" Fourth of July parade are underway, as evidenced by numerous sightings of military vehicles in the streets of Washington, DC, on Tuesday night.
Infantry variants of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV), an armored transport vehicle, were sighted crossing a bridge and moving down streets on top of a large truck:
Yep. That’s a TANK crossing the Potomac River for the first time in...well...ever??? #4thofjuly2019 #SaluteToAmerica @wusa9 pic.twitter.com/IQB6wYAkNA
— Eric Flack (@EricFlackTV) July 3, 2019
Just left the Nats game, and we were greeted by Trump's tanks rolling through just outside the ballpark @fox5dc @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/O9VmDGFoMY
— Cole (@eloc8) July 3, 2019
In addition to the BFVs, M1 Abrams tanks were also sighted in recent days:
One of two Bradley Fighting Vehicles is parked next to the Lincoln Memorial before @realDonaldTrump
— Andrew Harnik (@andyharnik) July 3, 2019
's 'Salute to America' event for Independence Day, Tuesday, July 2, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) @AP_Images
@ap @AP_Politics pic.twitter.com/UMfUHS7Tvs
Spotted: Two M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles on flatbeds near the #LincolnMemorial ahead of the #SaluteToAmerica event on Independence Day. pic.twitter.com/sIyZIRWQcQ
— Mosheh M. Gains (@MoshehNBC) July 3, 2019
Read more: Here's all the military firepower Trump wants to show off at his big Fourth of July bash
The BFV, which is crewed by three troops and has a range of 300 miles, weighs around 25 tons. City officials raised concerns over the weight of the tracked military vehicles in the weeks leading up to the event.
"Tanks but no tanks," the Council of the District of Columbia tweeted.
Trump's decision to use military assets — including fighter jets and M1A1 Abrams tanks — for his celebration has been scrutinized for being too costly, creating flight restrictions at local airports, and the possibility of road damage caused by heavy vehicles.
"We have some incredible equipment, military equipment on display — brand new," Trump said on Monday. "We're going to have a great Fourth of July in Washington, DC. It'll be like no other."
It would not the first time armored vehicles have rolled through Washington, DC. A National Victory Celebration event that included fighter jets and armored vehicles was held in the capitol following Operation Desert Storm in June 1991. Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and John F. Kennedy all touted the country's military forces in a grand parade during their inaugurations.
"You'll see them moving through your neighborhood, but don't panic," a US Army spokesperson said to WUSA on Tuesday.
SEE ALSO: Trump's military parade will reportedly divert $2.5 million away from national parks
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