A spokeswoman for D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Wednesday ruled out any notion of the District paying for President Trump’s proposed military parade, saying that Trump would have to pay for it himself.
Anu Rangappa said there has not yet been formal outreach to D.C. officials about the proposed parade.
“In the meantime, we do know that, just like the wall, he will have to pay for it,” she said, referring to Trump’s proposed border wall between the U.S. and Mexico. Funding requests for that project have hit staunch opposition in Congress.
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The Washington Post reported Tuesday that Pentagon officials, at the behest of Trump, were beginning to plan a military parade in Washington, similar to the Bastille Day parade Trump attended in France last year.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders later confirmed that such an event is in the works.
“President Trump is incredibly supportive of America’s great service members who risk their lives every day to keep our country safe,” she said. “He has asked the Department of Defense to explore a celebration at which all Americans can show their appreciation.”
While the plan is reportedly in its early stages, such a parade could cost millions of dollars. Military officials told the Post that they did not know how the U.S. would pay for such an event.
Trump has occasionally floated the idea of holding a parade in Washington to showcase the country’s military might. He was reportedly awed last year when he attended a Bastille Day parade with French President Emmanuel Macron, which contained military displays.