President Trump Cancels This Year’s Military Parade

We were supposed to have a big, beautiful military parade in DC this fall. It was to include up to 7,000 service members as well as “100 vehicles, 50 aircraft and 100 horses.” It was set for November 10th. Code Pink was really looking forward to it. And by looking forward to it, I mean they were planning on flying that sad Trump Baby Blimp over the festivities.

Donald Trump plans to beat the drums of war down the streets of our nation's capital. While he tries to show how macho and strong he is, we will show him as the big baby he is.

Help us bring the #BabyTrumpBlimp DC: https://t.co/wkerNE7UC6 https://t.co/f3nINCCpSZ

— CODEPINK (@codepink) July 22, 2018

Guess they need to put that glorified balloon away, because President Trump has canceled the parade. It’s simply too expensive.

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…

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2018

….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!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2018

The parade was estimated to cost $92 million, even though the early estimate came in at around $12 million. That’s $80 million more than originally expected.

I’d say that’s a pretty YUGE leap.

The $92 million cost estimate includes security, transportation of parade assets, aircraft, as well as temporary duty for troops. The official also noted that while the size and scope of the military parade can still shift, the plans currently include approximately eight tanks, as well as other armored vehicles, including Bradleys, Strykers and M113s.

The official also said that experts put to rest concerns about whether the Abrams tank, which weighs just shy of 70 tons, would ruin infrastructure in Washington. Their analysis found that, because of the vehicle’s distributed weight and track pads, the streets of the nation’s capital would not be compromised.

YIIIIIKES. That’s not good. We don’t need that additional problem.

Hence, the cancelation. I think it’s the right call all the way.