Four Democratic senators want to know the price tag for President Trump’s proposed military parade.
The group wrote a letter Wednesday to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis saying they are concerned it could be a waste and requested that he provide estimates on the cost of the parade as well as whether it will disrupt regular military options.
The letter was signed by Sens. Patrick Leahy, Dick Durbin, Jack Reed and Gary Peters.
“At a time of war, with American service members serving in harm’s way, such a parade seems to be inappropriate and wasteful,” the senators wrote. “Every penny of the millions of dollars that the parade would cost and every second of the tens of thousands of personnel hours its execution would require, should be devoted to the most essential missions of the Department of Defense — protecting the American people and our security interests.”
The Pentagon confirmed Tuesday it is working on proposals for Trump after he raised the possibility of holding the first major U.S. military parade since the end of the Gulf War in 1991.
“Reportedly, the order came during a discussion in the Pentagon’s Tank, a secure location normally reserved for the most sensitive defense conversations, during what should have been a discussion of the impact of budget negotiations on the department,” the senators wrote. “It is unclear what military need this event would fulfill.”
Mattis defended the president’s parade proposal during a press conference at the White House on Wednesday, saying it was a sign of Trump’s respect for troops.
“I think we’re all aware in this country of the president’s affection and respect for the military,” Mattis said. “We’ve been putting together some options, we’ll send them up to the White House for a decision.”
Reed, D-R.I., the ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, blasted the proposal for potentially for diverting military resources as the services struggle with years of flat budgets, aging equipment and high operations tempos.
“There are many opportunities to show support for our Armed Forces at local parades and nearby military installations,” Reed said in a separate released statement. “The president may honor those who served by visiting wounded warriors at Walter Reed or our fallen heroes at Arlington National Cemetery.”
