It will be the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday but President Donald Trump may be the one getting a gift during the massive planned parade that is expected to cost upwards of $45 million.
The June 14 event will also take place on President Trump’s 79th birthday, and will feature “28 Abrams tanks, 6,700 soldiers, 50 helicopters, 34 horses, two mules and a dog,” according to The New York Times. While “officials say there are no plans at the moment to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Mr. Trump, or to the Army, during the parade,” one plan “does, however, call for paratroopers from the Golden Knights, the Army parachute team, to land amid the festivities and hand Mr. Trump a flag.”
Calling it “a hand-delivered gift from the Army,” The Daily Beast adds: “Organizers are eager to emphasize that the event is not being held in his honor to avoid the suggestions that the spectacle resemble something out of a dictatorship.”
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Meanwhile, questions “are being raised about the timing and cost of the event, especially given the Trump administration’s push for federal budget cuts, including slashing tens of thousands of jobs from the Department of Veterans Affairs.”
Political commentator Molly Jong-Fast responded to the Times report by saying, “Cutting funding for education and healthcare but paying for this …”
Earlier this month the progressive political action committee VoteVets wrote: “Trump’s throwing himself a military parade on his birthday and brushing off the cost as ‘peanuts.’ 6,600 Troops, 50 helicopters, millions lit on fire—just to stroke the ego of a draft-dodging wannabe dictator. This isn’t patriotism. It’s authoritarian cosplay on OUR dime.”
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U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) last week wrote: “Donald Trump wants a massive military parade for his birthday—tanks, jets, 6,600 troops—all on YOUR dime. It’s grotesque. A wannabe king playing dress-up with taxpayer dollars. I introduced the HAPPY BIRTHDAY Budget Act to block this nonsense. If he wants a party, he can pay for it himself.”
The White House posted an invitation, and a link for those who wish to attend.
See the social media post above or at this link.
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