時隔27年
US President Donald Trump has asked the Pentagon for a military parade in Washington DC in the same vein as France’s Bastille Day festivities that he attended in Paris in July.
美國總統川普下令國防部，仿照去年7月訪問巴黎時參加的法國國慶閱兵，在華盛頓特區舉行閱兵儀式。
the Pentagon美國五角大樓;美國國防部=the US Defense Departmentvein(n.)風格festivity(n.)慶祝活動=celebration
At a meeting at the Pentagon on Jan. 18 that included Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Joseph Dunford, Trump said he wanted a military parade, according to the Washington Post.
根據《華盛頓郵報》報導，上月18日在一場國防部會議上，出席者包括國防部長馬提斯及參謀長聯席會議主席鄧福德，川普表示想舉行閱兵。
Joint Chiefs of Staff美國參謀長聯席會議
The White House said in a statement that President Trump has asked the Department of Defense to explore a celebration at which all Americans can show their appreciation for “America’s great service members who risk their lives every day to keep our country safe.”
白宮發布聲明表示，川普總統已要求國防部研究舉辦閱兵的可能性，好讓美國人向「每天冒著生命危險，保衛國家安全的美國軍人們」表達敬意。
explore(v.)探索;(仔細)研究;探討
But the plan is already facing funding challenges as Mattis himself warned a congressional committee that the military is short of money for necessities such as training and maintenance.
但該計畫已面臨經費短缺的挑戰，國防部長馬提斯本人曾警告國會委員會，軍方目前已缺乏訓練及維護等必要經費。
funding(n.)資助;資金提供necessity(n.)必需品;不可缺少的東西maintenance(n.)維護;保養
There is also criticism about the message that military parades send. Military parades are often associated with undemocratic or authoritarian governments, although democratic nations like France and the UK also have them.
也有人批評閱兵所釋出的訊息，通常只有非民主或獨裁政府才會舉行閱兵，雖然法國和英國等民主國家也會舉行閱兵。
be associated with~與…被聯想在一起authoritarian(adj.)獨裁的;專制的
Some think that there is no need to hold the parade at a time when the United States possesses the largest military footprint on the planet.
有些人則認為美國已在全球掌握最廣大的軍事版圖，實在沒有舉行閱兵的必要。
possess(v.)擁有;具有footprint(n.)足跡;所佔面積
For them, a parade aimed at specifically demonstrating American military might was a sign of weakness.
他們覺得為展現美國軍事實力而舉行閱兵，是怯懦的表現。
a parade aimed at~=a parade which is aimed at~be aimed at~以…為目標=be targeted at~demonstrate(v.)展示
Other critics reckon a grand display is more about gratifying the ego of the commander in chief.
其他批評者則認為，舉行盛大閱兵較像是在滿足美國最高統帥的自尊。
reckon(v.)以為;認為gratify(v.)滿足ego(n.)自負;自尊心commander in chief(一國)最高統帥
As political commentator Jonathan Chait puts it, “Image is Trump’s moral code…He conscripts the military as a prop to bathe himself in an aura of presidential grandeur.”
正如同政治評論家喬納森柴特所説：「形象是川普的道德準則，他把軍隊當作道具納入麾下，沈浸在身為總統的偉大光環裡。」
moral code道德準則;道德規範conscript(v.)徵召(入伍)prop(n.)(戲劇)道具bathe in~沈浸於…之中=bask in~=immerse in~aura(n.)氣氛;氛圍;光環grandeur(n.)偉大、壯觀、富麗堂皇