President Trump's military parade postponed until next year
(Baonghean.vn) - On August 16, the US Department of Defense announced that a military parade requested by President Donald Trump, which was scheduled to take place in November in Washington, has been postponed until at least next year.
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| US soldiers greet President Donald Trump during his visit to Fort Drum, New York on August 13. Photo: Reuters |
“We initially planned to hold the event on November 10, 2018, but have now agreed to explore opportunities in 2019,” Defense Department spokesman Colonel Rob Manning said in a statement.
An unnamed US official also said that it was not clear exactly what led to the delay, but that the rising cost of organizing the event had caused concern and could be a factor.
The official cited provisional planning figures as saying the parade, which honors U.S. military veterans and marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, could cost more than $90 million, nearly three times the White House's previous estimate.
The source also confirmed that the estimated cost of about $92 million has not been approved by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and can still be changed and many other options added.
In February, President Trump asked the Pentagon to consider holding a military parade to honor the US military, after the Republican leader attended the Bastille Day parade in Paris last year.
Earlier this year, the White House budget chief said the parade could cost US taxpayers between $10 million and $30 million.
It remains unclear why the recent cost estimate is so much higher than previously, and exactly what it includes.
A Pentagon memo in March said the Washington parade would include “a heavy air component at the end of the parade.”
“Wheeled vehicles only, no tanks – care should be taken to minimize damage to local infrastructure,” the memo said.
Critics say the US government should not spend money on expensive displays of troops and weapons, when the Pentagon is struggling with training, support and personnel costs.
Military parades in the United States are rare, while in other countries such events are usually held to celebrate victories on the battlefield or to show off military might.
In 1991, tanks and thousands of troops paraded through Washington to celebrate the ousting of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's forces from Kuwait in the Gulf War.