Tanks, military vehicles take over DC's streets before Trump's 4th of July celebration - USA TODAY

Ryan W. Miller USA TODAY

Published 9:13 AM EDT Jul 3, 2019

The tanks are arriving on the Mall.

Ahead of President Donald Trump's planned Fourth of July festivities featuring a military parade and flyovers in Washington, D.C., military vehicles were spotted on the National Mall late Tuesday into Wednesday morning.

Photographers for The Associated Press captured images of two Bradley Fighting Vehicles parked near the Lincoln Memorial. The photos appeared to show the military vehicles fenced off.

Videos shared on social media showed trucks towing military vehicles through the streets of D.C., and photos earlier in the week captured tanks sitting in a rail yard in the nation's capital.

Trump's "Salute to America" will take place Thursday and aims to honor the U.S. military. The president plans to give a speech at the Lincoln Memorial, however protesters plan to burn flags and fly a "Trump Baby" balloon.

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Here's what the scene has looked like in Washington in recent days: