President Trump has asked the Pentagon to plan a military parade in Washington this year to celebrate military strength, according to reports . White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders confirmed the story, saying Trump wants a celebration that allows Americans to show appreciation for the military. No date has been chosen, but a Pentagon spokesman said officials are aware of the request and are, quote, "looking at options." The Washington Post was the first to report the story, saying Trump wants an elaborate parade with marching soldiers and military hardware, such as tanks rolling down the street. According to the Post, Trump said in a meeting last month with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and top Pentagon generals that he wanted a military parade like the one he'd seen in France when he visited last year for Bastille Day. Parades displaying military hardware aren't traditional in the U.S., with the conventional wisdom long being that the U.S. doesn't need to boast of its military strength. The last time one was held was after the first Gulf War in 1991. I'm all for showing appreciation for our military but is this something we really need to spend taxpayers dollars on?