1. Battle tanks and fighting vehicles are being moved onto the Washington Mall, in preparation for President Trump’s “Salute to America” for Thursday’s July 4 celebrations.

Aside from the problems of the vehicles’ weight (the District of Columbia was, after all, built on an actual swamp), there is some concern from retired and active-duty military officers, and even some Defense Department personnel, about the appearance of politicizing the armed forces.

As a retired four-star Marine general put it, “Put troops out there so we can thank them — leave tanks for Red Square.”