The Trump Connection: How the U.S. Army’s 250th Birthday Parade Became a Windfall for Hollywood’s Prop Houses

By [ globanow.com ]

Flag Day 2025 in Washington, D.C., was always going to be eventful. But with Donald Trump back in the Oval Office and turning 79 on the same day, the already scheduled celebration of the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary has taken on an unmistakably Trumpian tone—complete with grandeur, controversy, and a surprising economic upside for a struggling corner of Hollywood.

While the skies over D.C. threatened to pour on the festivities, a very different kind of shower was blessing the West Coast: a financial windfall. Dozens of Hollywood prop houses, particularly those dealing in period military gear, reported receiving a wave of large, last-minute government rental orders over the past month—orders that many say helped them stay afloat during one of the leanest periods in recent industry memory.

A Parade with Presidential Undertones

Though the Army’s semiquincentennial celebration has been on the books for over a year, insiders say the event’s scale and urgency changed dramatically when Trump returned to office this January. Planning efforts, once modest and ceremonial, quickly ballooned into a massive military spectacle that echoed Trump’s long-standing desire for a grand D.C. parade.

“It was like flipping a switch,” said one Hollywood vendor. “Suddenly there was a mad rush for vintage rifles, helmets, boots, uniforms—everything you’d expect in a wartime epic, not a peacetime parade.”

That epic-scale order was reportedly meant to outfit over 6,000 troops and participants in a mix of contemporary and historic military gear. Alongside marching bands, armored personnel carriers, and flyovers, the parade’s climactic moment will include a parachute drop in full view of the Ellipse, where Trump will observe the show flanked by loyal allies, including UFC President Dana White.

The Hollywood Connection

The bulk of the orders for military props were routed through ISS Props, a major player in the film and television production supply chain. A division of the larger MBS Group and owned by Hackman Capital Partners, ISS Props specializes in supplying screen-accurate replicas of weapons, vehicles, and equipment.

While ISS Props declined to comment on its involvement, several smaller, independent prop houses confirmed they had received orders through ISS—often with little notice and generous compensation.

“We had two weeks to pull together what would normally take two months,” said a prop warehouse manager in downtown L.A. “And because it was so rushed, we charged top dollar. Honestly, it helped keep our doors open.”

Many of these vendors operate on razor-thin margins and have seen their revenues crater over the past few years due to strikes, production shutdowns, and a general slowdown in the entertainment industry. For them, the federal government’s sudden spending spree—regardless of political optics—was a lifeline.

Ethical Dilemmas in a Blue Industry

The windfall, however, has not been without controversy.

Hollywood’s political leanings are no secret. Many workers and business owners in the industry are vocal critics of Trump and his policies. Some prop house employees privately expressed discomfort with contributing to what they see as a vanity project by a polarizing figure.

“I hate the guy,” one Valley-based technician said. “But I also like paying my rent.”

A downtown Los Angeles prop manager echoed the sentiment: “If we turned down the order, someone else would’ve taken it. We’re not in a position to be choosy right now. The work is scarce.”

To avoid backlash from liberal clients, most vendors asked to remain anonymous when speaking to the press. Still, there’s a quiet acknowledgment across the industry that, while the job may be politically fraught, the business is essential.

Trump’s Showbiz Presidency

Trump’s fondness for spectacle is well documented, and this year’s military parade is no exception. Modeled more after Hollywood blockbusters than traditional ceremonies, the event plays to his strengths as a former reality TV host and seasoned media manipulator.

“This is TV to him,” said a longtime studio executive. “He thinks in camera angles and climaxes. Everything is designed to look good on screen, even if it’s raining.”

And yes, rain might still play a role. Weather forecasts have been predicting scattered showers in D.C., though Trump has tried to spin the outlook optimistically.

“Our great military parade is on, rain or shine. Remember, rainy day parade brings good luck,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Saturday afternoon.

A Birthday Gift with Global Implications

The fact that the parade falls on Trump’s birthday is no coincidence, critics argue. The president has taken to social media to boast about his “historic birthday celebration,” even claiming to have received a congratulatory call from Vladimir Putin—though the White House has not confirmed the exchange.

The $40 million price tag for the event—making it the largest military parade in D.C. since 1991—has sparked outcry from Democrats and budget watchdogs. The timing is particularly sensitive, coming just a week after Trump federalized the California National Guard to suppress immigration protests in Los Angeles.

California Governor Gavin Newsom attempted to challenge the federalization in court, but was overruled on June 12. As a result, National Guard troops are now stationed across Southern California as mass “No Kings” demonstrations unfold nationwide. The mood is tense, especially after DHS Secretary Kristi Noem ordered the forcible removal of California Senator Alex Padilla during a press conference in L.A. on Friday.

Adding to the unease: reports of a mass shooting at a Democratic rally in Minnesota on Saturday, targeting several lawmakers. These incidents have only intensified fears about Trump’s increasingly authoritarian approach to dissent.

Inside America250: Trump’s Loyal Team

Much of the event’s production is being overseen by America250, the congressionally chartered organization created to plan the nation’s 250th birthday. But since Trump’s re-election, the group has undergone a major personnel shift.

Former Trump aide Megan Power—who was instrumental in organizing the January 6, 2021, Ellipse rally—has been appointed as America250’s general contractor. Also on the leadership team: Event Strategies Inc., a logistics firm tied to previous Trump rallies, including the infamous 2021 Capitol event.

Other Trump-aligned figures involved include former Fox News personality Monica Crowley, now serving as chief of protocol at the State Department, and ex-Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s communications aide Hannah Salem Stone.

Critics say these appointments reflect a broader strategy by Trump to embed loyalists across government functions—including symbolic ones like national celebrations.

A Political Parade in Military Clothing

To Trump’s base, the parade is a show of strength, patriotism, and leadership. To his detractors, it’s an expensive propaganda exercise wrapped in the flag. That divide was on full display Saturday, as “No Kings” protests clashed with parade preparations in D.C., L.A., and other major cities.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted that Trump “absolutely supports peaceful protests,” despite his earlier warning that demonstrators “will be met with very big force.”

It’s this kind of language—and the presence of militarized National Guard units in liberal cities—that has civil liberties advocates sounding the alarm.

“It’s not about honoring the troops,” one protester said. “It’s about power and optics. And Trump knows how to weaponize both.”

A Silver Lining Amid the Storm

Back in Los Angeles, though, the mood is less political and more practical. For prop house owners, the sudden boom in business is a rare bright spot in an otherwise bleak economic landscape.

“I’m not going to apologize for taking a paycheck,” said a veteran prop master who’s worked on everything from Band of Brothers to The Mandalorian. “This is our industry. We make fake things look real. That’s the job.”

And this weekend, the job meant contributing—however indirectly—to one of the most politically charged parades in recent memory.

Whether history remembers June 14, 2025, as a celebration of the U.S. Army, a birthday party for Donald Trump, or a warning sign for American democracy remains to be seen.

But for the prop shops of Hollywood, it was a payday. And in this economy, that’s enough.

Conclusion

As the rain threatens to fall on Washington, D.C., the symbolism surrounding this year’s Army birthday parade couldn’t be more layered. What was originally planned as a tribute to the nation’s military has evolved into a display of political theater—one that blends patriotic ceremony, personal celebration, and campaign spectacle. Yet, amid the controversy, one unexpected outcome stands out: a financial lifeline for Hollywood’s struggling prop houses.

In a city known for make-believe, real dollars are now circulating thanks to the demands of a very real political event. For many in the industry, this influx of federal spending is a rare glimmer of hope after years of production halts, strikes, and economic strain. That these vendors were tapped to outfit a deeply politicized celebration led by a divisive president highlights the uneasy intersection of art, commerce, and ideology in modern America.

Whether viewed as a national honor, a political flex, or a reality show on parade, one thing is clear—the Trump-era spectacle remains as polarizing as ever. And while Hollywood’s prop houses might have helped dress the scene, they also underscore a larger truth: in this version of America, even protest and patriotism come with a production budget.