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President Donald Trump's Fourth of July celebration can't seem to stop generating controversy. From the touting of military tanks ravaging the roads of D.C. to the Republican National Committee peddling VIP tickets to Trump's largest donors.
Now, a new development has people giving "Salute to America" the finger.
One of the most pressing questions regarding the upcoming extravaganza was how—and who—was going to pay for it.
Our July 4th Salute to America at the Lincoln Memorial is looking to be really big. It will be the show of a lifetime!— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1562156190.0
While the Trump administration continues to remain mum on just how much of the bill will be footed by taxpayers, but at least $2.5 million dollars has been diverted from the National Parks Service. According to the Washington Post, that $2.5 million comes from entrance and recreation fees used to improve the parks and visitors' experiences.
For perspective, the total cost of past Fourth of July celebrations on the National Mall have typically been $2 million dollars. The money does
People are livid.
Funded against the will of the people with money diverted from national parks! Nice job! https://t.co/XTMCQJyo0F— Morgan J. Freeman (@Morgan J. Freeman) 1562165040.0
Our National Parks have already become more expensive for people to access — a fundamental disconnect from the orig… https://t.co/pXgl7943gf— Kasie Hunt (@Kasie Hunt) 1562111591.0
It is disturbing that the President would take funding from our National Parks' upkeep to finance what's essentiall… https://t.co/rHDcdGk0A1— Rep. Nydia Velazquez (@Rep. Nydia Velazquez) 1562165366.0
This is beyond the pale. The American people pay these entrance fees to make improvements at our national parks —… https://t.co/hqWVlaPpJb— Tom Udall (@Tom Udall) 1562114353.0
Disgraceful! Many of our veterans depend on our national parks and public lands to "walk off the war," when they re… https://t.co/gnqfYAiQqc— VoteVets (@VoteVets) 1562118496.0
Trump is raiding $2.5 million from the National Parks budget to pay for this vanity event. Also, “we own the tanks”… https://t.co/h7kD90lG7P— Brian Klaas (@Brian Klaas) 1562164648.0
This is truly lousy. The national parks go begging for funds so Trump, who claims he's a billionaire, and his elite… https://t.co/rXKSNUBS72— David Corn (@David Corn) 1562119986.0
Infuriating. I pay my money for the National Parks, not a MAGA rally. https://t.co/e4fQqOHd9l— Anthony (@Anthony) 1562165119.0
One reason the cost and the methods of paying for it have so many people angry is because the celebration, which is traditionally a nonpartisan moment of American solidarity, is shaping up to be just another Trump rally, with the President parroting the same talking points that played a significant role in the country's devolution into stark division.