Donald Trump on Friday claimed he canceled a military parade planned for November after news leaked that the parade would cost $92 million, approximately $80 million more than originally estimated.
Tweeted Trump: “The local politicians who run Washington, D.C. (poorly) know a windfall when they see it. When asked to give us a price for holding a great celebratory military parade, they wanted a number so ridiculously high that I cancelled it. Never let someone hold you up! I will instead…….attend the big parade already scheduled at Andrews Air Force Base on a different date, & go to the Paris parade, celebrating the end of the War, on November 11th. Maybe we will do something next year in D.C. when the cost comes WAY DOWN. Now we can buy some more jet fighters!”
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1030423480725118976
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1030426536871116801
Trump’s reasons, of course, are not the real story.
The parade would have been just a few days after the midterm elections, and things are currently not looking good for Republicans.
Shortly after news leaked about the cost of the parade, the American Legion released a statement saying the money should go to fund the troops rather than a showy parade: “The American Legion appreciates that our president wants to show in a dramatic fashion our nation’s support for our troops. However, until such time as we can celebrate victory in the War on Terrorism and bring our military home, we think the parade money would be better spent fully funding the Department of Veterans Affairs and giving our troops and their families the best care possible.”
News of the cost was also criticized by Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), who incurred Trump’s wrath on Thursday night after tweeting it.
Tweeted Blumenthal: “Real patriotism should mean $92 million to honor military service & benefit veterans, not glorify politicians. Improve vets health care, more jobs & skills, end vet homelessness & suicides—still killing at least 20 heroes every day.”
Real patriotism should mean $92 million to honor military service & benefit veterans, not glorify politicians. Improve vets health care, more jobs & skills, end vet homelessness & suicides—still killing at least 20 heroes every day. https://t.co/G7gG1fo4AI
— Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) August 16, 2018
Raged Trump, while watching Tucker Carlson on FOX News: ‘.@TuckerCarlson speaking of John Brennan: “How did somebody so obviously limited intellectually get to be CIA Director in the first place?” Now that is a really good question! Then followed by “Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut is a FAKE War Hero…” So true, a total Fake! … How can “Senator” Richard Blumenthal, who went around for twenty years as a Connecticut politician bragging that he was a great Marine war hero in Vietnam (then got caught and sobbingly admitted he was neither a Marine nor ever in Vietnam), pass judgement on anyone? Loser!’
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1030254224330969090
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1030257073047658501
