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With reports that the military parade President Donald Trump and his team were planning for November 10th of this year would cost upwards of 92 million dollars, the president announced on Twitter that he had "cancelled" it.
And not surprisingly, he found someone to blame:
The local politicians who run Washington, D.C. (poorly) know a windfall when they see it. When asked to give us a p… https://t.co/1AyrZT9CEd— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1534507076.0
....attend the big parade already scheduled at Andrews Air Force Base on a different date, & go to the Paris parade… https://t.co/75YwMLArvE— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1534507805.0
It was then that Muriel Bowser, the Mayor of Washington, D.C., took to Twitter to fire back.
Yup, I’m Muriel Bowser, mayor of Washington DC, the local politician who finally got thru to the reality star in th… https://t.co/oFdxc5DaNB— Muriel Bowser (@Muriel Bowser) 1534510357.0
Bowser is just one of many who believe that an extravagant military parade would be a waste of money and resources. The event has been a source of contention since even before the Trump administration ordered the Department of Defense to begin looking into it this past June. At that time, one official told reporters "There is only one person who wants this parade" in a reference to Donald Trump.
That official seems to be right. One informal poll conducted by Military Times saw 89 percent of 51 thousand votes express their disapproval of the parade.
Similarly, social media users applauded Bowser's retort.
@MurielBowser As a DC tax payer it pains me to see tax dollars pay for the law enforcement and first responders req… https://t.co/Q2qM7vRUeJ— Henry C. (@Henry C.) 1534511061.0
@MurielBowser @Bakari_Sellers I wish I could like this more than once! Mayor Bowser wins the day & the Internet https://t.co/Vvi1qiWXbe— RevBAJones (@RevBAJones) 1534511660.0
Some rebuked Republican representatives in the process.
@MurielBowser Too bad GOP congress doesn’t have your common sense, leadership abilities & spine. This tax payer & d… https://t.co/C7cDyXo8WO— GeorginaPond (@GeorginaPond) 1534511138.0
@MurielBowser @justinhendrix Thank you from the majority of the citizens of the United States, Mayor Bowser. We app… https://t.co/oZ9IRR6REp— Blue "Human Scum" Dawn 🆘🦃🍂🍁 (@Blue "Human Scum" Dawn 🆘🦃🍂🍁) 1534511448.0
Others pointed out the hypocrisy of spending millions on the parade while simultaneously cutting veterans' access to health care.
Two headlines, a day apart: "White House: U.S. can't afford veterans' health care without cuts" "Initial cost for… https://t.co/UpFIjGKeXt— Brandon Friedman (@Brandon Friedman) 1531963906.0
Thank God the disgusting dictator parade has been postponed (s/b cancelled). #Veterans need premium #healthcare ser… https://t.co/sjF7woM6nC— Edna Hill (@Edna Hill) 1534516830.0
The parade has long been seen by much of the public as an attempt by the president to stroke his ego.
Trump reportedly sought an American military parade after his visit to Paris, France in July of last year, where he observed a Bastille Day celebration with French President Emmanuel Macron.
"We're going to have to try to top it," he told the French President.
It was a great honor to represent the United States at the magnificent #BastilleDay parade. Congratulations Preside… https://t.co/zzeoHyHhNV— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1500030256.0
However, many observers have inferred that, for the President, the parade is less about honoring the troops and more about displaying his power.
No, the balooning costs were Federal, due to all the interagency work, along with DOD costs to get everyone and eve… https://t.co/dvdD8F3pWI— VoteVets (@VoteVets) 1534512784.0
FYI: VoteVets has submitted a Letter of Intent, with DC, to do a 5K around the National Mall, for Veterans Day 2019… https://t.co/SREt30hCoL— VoteVets (@VoteVets) 1534466926.0
Pentagon cancels trump ego parade (he takes credit natch) because it would cost more than $12 million estimate. Thi… https://t.co/PYnv2Y7RDI— Kurt Eichenwald (@Kurt Eichenwald) 1534509897.0
$92million for the biggest ego trip/parade in American history. https://t.co/JzaI9hs1NH— Ruben Gallego (@Ruben Gallego) 1534436627.0
Some reports have said that the administration was seeking tanks and armed vehicles for the procession, despite the defense department being prohibited to do so by the 2019 National Defense Authorization act, which Trump himself signed:
In providing support [for the parade], the secretary [of defense] may expend funds for the display of small arms and munitions appropriate for customary ceremonial honors and for the participation of military units that perform customary ceremonial duties. [The secretary] may not expend funds to provide motorized vehicles, aviation platforms [or] munitions other than the munitions specifically described [above].
While it looks like Trump will have to wait until 2019 for his military parade, his Twitter indicates that he's already declared war on D.C. officials.