President Wants to ‘Show the Pride That We Have in the Military’
The White House is attempting to downplay President Trump’s order to the Pentagon to hold a military parade that would head straight down Pennsylvania Avenue. Trump has been talking about one since before his inauguration, and was re-inspired this summer after seeing one on Bastille Day in France.
Secretary of Defense James “Maddog” Mattis on Wednesday told reporters the planning has begun and once complete he will send it to the White House.
“We’ve been putting together some options,” for President Trump to review, Mattis told reporters Wednesday afternoon. “We’ll send them up to the White House for decision.”
After talking about the need for increased military funding, Mattis would not say how much Trump’s military parade would cost. Estimates say at least $25 million.
Mattis would not say if he thought the idea of a military parade was good, only that his job is to lay out strategy.
Just a few minutes later, however, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders stood at the very same podium and downplayed Trump’s military parade.Â
“Look, as I’ve said,” Huckabee Sanders told reporters, “we haven’t made a final decision, the president is simply exploring different ways that he can highlight and show the pride that we have in the military.”Â
“The president is very proud of the United States military,” she continued, reading from a statement. She added it’s “way too far” to “start speculation.”
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