Donald Trump's Independence Day parade branded 'obscene' by former general
Donald Trump has been accused of an ‘obscene’ 4th July stunt after it emerged that he will use tanks as part of his Independence Day parade.
The Independent Day event, ‘Salute to America’, is set to celebrate the United States’ military might, featuring tanks, armoured vehicles and flyovers by fighter jets.
Preparations are underway for the event, with M1 Abrams battle tanks pictured on flat train cars in Washington.
But Donald Trump has come under fire from critics, including a former general, for his approach, which some say is a re-election stunt.
Retired Army Major General and Vietnam veteran William Nash told Politico: “The president is using the armed forces in a political ploy for his reelection campaign and I think it’s absolutely obscene.”
The New York Times joined in the criticism, saying the parade was: "more than merely indulging his petty narcissism...He is trampling a longstanding tradition of keeping these events nonpartisan."
Democrats have also questioned whether the event will effectively become a taxpayer-funded campaign rally for Mr Trump.
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But the White House insisted that the focus of the event was a ‘salute to America’ and Mr Trump would not get political in his speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
It is not know how much the Independence Day celebrations will cost but a planned parade for November 2018 which was postponed was estimated to have been due to cost around £71million.