Despite concerns about the weather, the Army 250th anniversary parade will be held
President Donald Trump’s controversial military parade kicked off 30 minutes early to avoid the bad weather.
WASHINGTON – Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul criticized the military parade supported by President Donald Trump, claiming that the epic events were too expensive for the country and had weapons of “glory.”
Featuring heavy tanks and troops parading the streets of Washington, the June 14 parade marks the 250th anniversary of the US military, which happened to fall on Trump’s 79th birthday. Paul told “I didn’t like the idea of a parade” on NBC News’ Meet the Press.
“I grew up in the 70s and 80s, but the only parades I can remember are Soviet parades, or North Korean parades. And the parades I remember from our history were different,” he said.
“We were pleased with the end of the war, and the soldiers returning home. It should definitely be commemorated…but we did not praise the weapon that much, and I know that he means a lot.
Paul also knocked on the cost of the parade. “We have a hole of 2 trillion dollars and just an additional cost like this. I’m not for that,” he said.
The commemorative Army estimate, which USA Today previously reported, totaled $40 million.
In his June 14th statement, Trump defended his decision to stage the parade, saying, “All other countries celebrate their victory. That’s when America did it too.”
It’s not the first time Paul has defeated Trump in recent weeks. He also expresses his opposition to the president’s sweeping tax and domestic policy bill, claiming that it will only inflate the country’s fiscal deficit.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that it would add about $2.4 trillion to the deficit over the next decade. The law will have a major impact on Medicaid, taxes, food programs and more.
Paul told Welker he spoke to Trump on June 14th after the parade, but he’s not an “absolute no” on Trump’s bill. “There’s not much of a problem with tax cuts. I think there should be more spending cuts, but if they want my vote, they have to negotiate,” he said.
