Trump's July Fourth celebration cost military at least $1.2 million - Pentagon
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Trump's July Fourth celebration cost military at least $1.2 million - Pentagon
Reuters 15 hours ago Two Bradley fighting vehicles flanked Trump during his July Fourth speech last week, in which he praised American military might despite having himself avoided the draft during the Vietnam War with bone spurs in his feet.
Trump told stories about each military branch before separate, dramatic flyovers of their respective military aircraft.
Trump, a Republican who was inspired to stage the flashy affair after seeing a similar display in France, dismissed concerns ahead of the ceremony about the expense and militaristic overtones of the event outside the 97-year-old Lincoln Memorial, a symbol of national unity.
"The total cost of the Department's support to the 'Salute to America' event was $1.2 million," the Pentagon said in a statement.
In addition to the cost to the military, the Washington Post reported last week that the U.S. National Park Service had diverted $2.5 million in park entrance fees to help pay for the event.
The actual cost for the Pentagon is likely higher, since the Pentagon said funding for the aircraft demonstrations came from the military services' training budgets.
It was not immediately clear if all of the $1.2 million was for the cost of transporting equipment like two Abrams tanks and two Bradley fighting vehicles from Fort Stewart in Georgia for the celebration.
The military did not immediately provide a breakdown of the cost. Simply flying the B-2 bomber for an hour costs about $122,000, according to the Air Force.
On Monday, Trump said such an event would take place in the future.
"Based on its tremendous success, we're just making the decision - and I can think we can say we've made the decision - to do it again next year, and, maybe we can say, for the foreseeable future," Trump told reporters.
The July Fourth holiday celebrates the U.S. founders’ declaring independence from Britain in 1776.
(Reporting by Idrees Ali. Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu.; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
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On Monday, Trump said such an event would take place in the future.
"Based on its tremendous success, we're just making the decision - and I can think we can say we've made the decision - to do it again next year, and, maybe we can say, for the foreseeable future," Trump told reporters.
Dumbass
takes all the fun out of air shows, lol.
Success? Where was it successful? No one died? Is that where we are setting the bar? Looked to me like the crowds were quite small and I didn't see many happy faces in those crowds.
Lets face it, if literally no one showed up, not one person, trump would still scream that it was a, "tremendous success".
One photo doesn't tell the entire story. What time was this photo taken and what else was occurring at this time? Was this taken during the rain and before anything started up? What else is going on elsewhere as this photo is a very small slice of the area.
You're right, it doesn't tell the whole story. But it does tell part of it. Especially about 2 of the 3 Trump supporters featured in the front.
4 U.S. Code § 8. Respect for flag
(d) The flag should never be used as wearing apparel , bedding, or drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white, and red, always arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below, should be used for covering a speaker’s desk, draping the front of the platform, and for decoration in general.
The majority of the people there came because of the fireworks, as they always do. I've been to several of those myself in the past. That's why Trump co-opted it - for once, he knew there actually WOULD be huge crowds, and this way he could pretend to himself and his base that they were there because of him.
Too bad the narcissist won't pay for it himself next year, rather than bankrupting the DC funds used to fight terrorism, and stealing money that was earmarked for our National Parks.
What a total lying idiot.
Celebrations of our Independence are a worthy cause. Unless you hate America i suppose.
Yes they are, however those celebrations took place earlier and in a different part of town.
Indeed.
So?
If Obama or Clinton had done this we wouldn't being hearing a peep about it.
Face it, this isn't about the celebration in any way.
It's about TDS.
Neither Obama or Clinton did it, or wanted to do it. Neither did the Bushes, or Reagan, or Carter. Only Trump requires constant praise to compensate for other shortcomings.
Nah, that's mainly just TDS on display.
Trump could give you a hundred bucks and you'd bitch that it wasn't a thousand.
So, are you claiming that Obama, the Bushes, Clinton, Reagan, and Carter DID have special military parades?
Or are trying to make it a personal insult because you have no argument?
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You're the one that brought up Obama and Clinton. Or did you forget that little fact?
So, you got nothing. Gotcha, understood.
Keep trying to obfuscate ..... it's expected ....
And you keep backpedalling and spinning ..... it's expected ....
BTW, I don't think obfuscate means what you think it means since I am directly addressing your comments.
Ah yes, the old PeeWee "i know you are but what am i" technique. You're intellectually devolving there buddy ...... better work at picking it up a little!
Nah, my usage of the word, in relation to your responses, was spot on.
Trump's July Fourth celebration cost military at least $1.2 million - Pentagon
Come on now Tessy, that only equates to what they pay for three or four hammers and a toilet seat or two.
$1.2 million. No big deal. The parade was a bargain and enjoyed by many. It cost a lot less than 'the duffer's' golf excursions. It's the Trump. Just what it is.
The actual costs were over 5 million.
Does not matter. Could have been $50 million. I just wonder how much of it was siphoned off and to whom it went.
money well spent. thank you President Trump