Donald Trump's '£72m' military parade is postponed until at least next year

Donald Trump’s multi-million-dollar military parade has been postponed until at least next year, the US defence department has announced.

The parade to honour US military veterans and commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One was expected to cost about $92 million (£72 million).

That’s according to a US official who said the reason for the postponement was unclear but that the increased cost of the event had caused concern.

Defence department spokesman Colonel Rob Manning said: "We originally targeted November 10, 2018 for this event but have now agreed to explore opportunities in 2019.”

The cost estimate of about $92 million had not yet been approved by Jim Mattis, the defence secretary, and could still rise if more options are included, an anonymous official said.

Earlier this year, the White House budget chief said the parade would cost US taxpayers between $10 million and $30 million.

It was not immediately clear why the recent cost estimate was so much higher than the earlier one, and what exactly it included.

A Pentagon memo from March said the Washington parade route would have a "heavy air component at the end of the parade."

"Include wheeled vehicles only, no tanks - consideration must be given to minimize damage to local infrastructure," the memo said.

Critics say the government should not spend money on a costly display of troops and weapons when the Pentagon is struggling to cover the expenses of training, support and personnel.