United States President Donald Trump's long-held ambition for a grand military parade in Washington is set to become a reality this Saturday, coinciding with his 79th birthday. Tanks, helicopters, and thousands of troops are poised to rumble through the capital in a spectacle critics contend is more about the President than the military itself.

The $45 million event is officially slated to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the US Army, which Commander-in-Chief Trump lauded this week as the "greatest fighting force ever to walk the face of the Earth." However, the timing and lavishness of the parade have drawn sharp criticism, with opponents arguing it serves primarily as a personal display of power.

Protesters have vowed to rally on Saturday against what they term Trump's "growing authoritarianism."

These demonstrations come on the heels of the President's recent order to deploy troops into Los Angeles following protests against his immigration policy.

"No Kings" rallies, invoking the spirit of America's Revolutionary War against monarchs, are planned in dozens of cities, including sites just outside Washington.

Despite the backlash, President Trump remains unrepentant. During a visit to Fort Bragg army base on Tuesday, he stated, "we want to show off a little bit" with the parade, and vowed "very big force" if protesters attempt to disrupt it. These comments were delivered in a speech that notably breached the traditional separation between politics and the military, with Trump reportedly goading troops into jeering his political opponents.

Firepower Display in Washington, DC

Such displays of military might on US soil are rare, a tradition rooted in the nation's historical aversion to grand military parades. The upcoming event will be the largest in Washington since 1991, following the first Gulf War, and before that, for the inauguration of President Dwight D Eisenhower in 1949.

Nearly 7,000 Army soldiers are expected to march past iconic landmarks, including the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the White House.

Overhead, a fleet of more than 50 helicopters, including Apache gunships, giant twin-rotor Chinook transport choppers, and sleek Black Hawks, will roar through the skies.

Approximately 150 military vehicles, among them 28 M1A1 Abrams battle tanks, 28 Bradley armored vehicles, and 28 Stryker vehicles, will traverse the parade route.

Following the main procession, the Army's Golden Knights parachute team is scheduled to jump in and present President Trump with a US flag. Military hardware has been moving into position throughout the week in preparation for the event.

"I think the reception here is going to be very warm," US Army Colonel Kamil Sztalkoper told AFP during a media preview. "Who doesn't like a big birthday party when you're 250 years old?"

Donald Trump and military parades

However, beyond the celebration of the Army's milestone, the display of American military muscle is also widely seen as a projection of President Trump's strongman image as commander-in-chief, particularly as he enters a second term pushing the boundaries of presidential power.

Trump's fascination with military parades reportedly stems from his attendance at France's annual Bastille Day parade in Paris in 2017.

His initial plans for a similar event in his first term were reportedly shelved due to concerns over the estimated $92 million cost and warnings about potential damage to Washington's streets from heavy tanks. This time, the Army asserts that metal plates will be deployed to protect the roads.

The parade has rekindled comparisons to similar military spectacles in autocratic nations like Russia, China, and North Korea.

Peter Loge, director of George Washington University's School of Media, pointed out that America's historical aversion to such displays dates back to its very founding.

"We were founded by a group of merchants and farmers who were tired of a standing army invading their streets in the name of keeping them safe," Loge told AFP. "We've always looked down on grand military parades in Russia across Red Square or in North Korea, because we're not like that. We're Americans, and we believe in democracy, not in military shows of force."

The decision to stage this extensive show of US military might also comes at a time of escalating international tensions, with rising fears of a Middle East conflict amidst stalled nuclear talks with Iran and Israeli threats to strike its facilities.