The team planning Donald Trump's inauguration was "seriously considering adding military vehicles" to the parade through Washington DC in January.
The Presidential inauguration committee asked the Pentagon to "send us some pictures of military vehicles we could add to the parade", a confidential email released under transparency laws showed.
But the defence official responding to the request was "extremely reluctant" to produce the list and told the committee "such support would be out of guidelines", according to the Huffington Post.
The Pentagon could also have asked to have the costs associated with bringing the vehicles into the capital reimbursed, the official wrote.
According to the email, the "establishing guidance" for the request came "from the highest level".
Mr Trump has previously said: "Being a great president has to do with a lot of things, but one of them is being a great cheerleader for the country.
"And we’re going to show the people as we build up our military, we’re going to display our military.
"That military may come marching down Pennsylvania Avenue. That military may be flying over New York City and Washington DC for parades. I mean, we’re going to be showing our military."
A call to the White House press office from The Independent went unanswered on Wednesday night.
