The Pentagon has revealed it spent $1.2m (£963,000) on Donald Trump's Independence Day parade in Washington DC.
Tanks and equipment were brought to the US capital for last week's Fourth of July show, where the president made a speech praising American military strength.
Flanked by two Bradley fighting vehicles, Mr Trump president told stories about each military branch before separate flyovers of their respective military aircraft.
"The total cost of the department's support to the 'Salute to America' event was $1.2m," the Pentagon said in a statement.
However, the overall cost is likely to have been higher since funding for the aircraft demonstrations came from the military services' training budgets, the Pentagon added.
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It was also reported that the US National Park Service diverted $2.5m (£2m) in park entrance fees to help pay for the event.
A breakdown of the costs has not been supplied, so it is not clear if all of the $1.2m was for the cost of transporting equipment – including two Abrams tanks and two Bradley fighting vehicles – from Fort Stewart in Georgia for the celebration.
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Simply flying the B-2 bomber for an hour costs about $122,000 (£98,000), according to the Air Force.
Mr Trump, who was inspired to stage the flashy affair after seeing a similar display in France, has said it will be held every year.
"Based on its tremendous success, we're just making the decision – and I think we can say we've made the decision – to do it again next year, and, maybe we can say, for the foreseeable future," he told reporters.
The display was widely criticised, not least for what some called the politicisation of what is traditionally a non-partisan celebration.
Many pointed out Mr Trump himself did not serve in the military, escaping the Vietnam War draft due to bone spurs in his feet.
And Phil Francis, chairman of the Coalition to Protect America's National Parks, told the Washington Post: "It's irresponsibRead More – Source
The Pentagon has revealed it spent $1.2m (£963,000) on Donald Trump's Independence Day parade in Washington DC.
Tanks and equipment were brought to the US capital for last week's Fourth of July show, where the president made a speech praising American military strength.
Flanked by two Bradley fighting vehicles, Mr Trump president told stories about each military branch before separate flyovers of their respective military aircraft.
"The total cost of the department's support to the 'Salute to America' event was $1.2m," the Pentagon said in a statement.
However, the overall cost is likely to have been higher since funding for the aircraft demonstrations came from the military services' training budgets, the Pentagon added.
Advertisement
It was also reported that the US National Park Service diverted $2.5m (£2m) in park entrance fees to help pay for the event.
A breakdown of the costs has not been supplied, so it is not clear if all of the $1.2m was for the cost of transporting equipment – including two Abrams tanks and two Bradley fighting vehicles – from Fort Stewart in Georgia for the celebration.
More from Donald Trump
Simply flying the B-2 bomber for an hour costs about $122,000 (£98,000), according to the Air Force.
Mr Trump, who was inspired to stage the flashy affair after seeing a similar display in France, has said it will be held every year.
"Based on its tremendous success, we're just making the decision – and I think we can say we've made the decision – to do it again next year, and, maybe we can say, for the foreseeable future," he told reporters.
The display was widely criticised, not least for what some called the politicisation of what is traditionally a non-partisan celebration.
Many pointed out Mr Trump himself did not serve in the military, escaping the Vietnam War draft due to bone spurs in his feet.
And Phil Francis, chairman of the Coalition to Protect America's National Parks, told the Washington Post: "It's irresponsibRead More – Source
