Page 3 - ARUBA TODAY

A3
U.S. NEWS Saturday 18 auguSt 2018

MILITARY PARADE anonymity, said there had parade planning group.
Continued from Front been little interaction with And Pentagon officials did
He was lashing out at Wash- the Pentagon and few de- not push back or at any
ington, D.C., politicians he tails provided. point suggest the reporting
claimed were to blame for Trump decided he wanted was wrong.
the sky-high price. a military parade in Wash- Still, when asked about the
"When asked to give us a ington after he attended price Thursday evening,
price for holding a great France's Bastille Day cel- Mattis excoriated the me-
celebratory military pa- ebration in the center of dia and said he had seen
rade, they wanted a Paris last year. Several no such estimate.
number so ridiculously high months later Trump praised "I'm not dignifying that
that I cancelled it. Never the French parade, saying, number ($92 million) with
let someone hold you up!" "We're going to have to try a reply. I would discount
Trump tweeted. and top it." that, and anybody who
He held out hope of hold- It was a demand that said (that number), I'll al-
ing the parade next year drew criticism not just from most guarantee you one In this Jan. 20, 2017 file photo, Marines march during the 58th
instead, and said this year Trump's political opponents thing: They probably said, Presidential Inauguration parade for President Donald Trump in
he would travel to Paris for but some Republicans too. 'I need to stay anonymous.' Washington.
events marking the cen- As the Pentagon began No kidding, because you Associated Press
tennial of the end of fight- planning for the U.S. ver- look like an idiot. And No.
ing in World War I, which sion, the cost became a 2, whoever wrote it needs the president's plans to set Marine Corps and Coast
falls on Veterans Day, Nov. politically charged issue to get better sources. I'll just up a Space Force as a new Guard — as well as units
11. "Now we can buy some — as did the prospect of leave it at that," Mattis told branch of the military — in period uniforms repre-
more jet fighters!" he add- streets in the nation's capi- reporters traveling with him. but as in the other cases, senting earlier times in the
ed. tal being churned up by He said that whoever he has toed the line of the nation's history. It also was
Despite Trump blaming mu- tank treads. leaked the number to the commander in chief. expected to involve a
nicipal authorities for the According to officials fa- press was "probably smok- The parade was expect- number of military aircraft
high estimate, the bulk of miliar with the unfold- ing something that is legal ed to include troops from flyovers, which can carry
the cost was the $50 mil- ing events, senior Penta- in my state but not in most" all five armed services — significant costs in person-
lion Pentagon portion that gon leaders were briefed — a reference to his home the Army, Navy, Air Force, nel, aircraft and support.q
would cover military air- Wednesday about the pa- state of Washington, where
craft, equipment, person- rade costs. But officials said marijuana use is legal.
nel and other support. The the estimates were still pre- Mattis' comments came
remaining $42 million would liminary and so were not hours after the estimate
cover costs borne by the submitted to Mattis or Gen. was made public, and not
city and other agencies Joseph Dunford, chairman long after the cancellation
and largely involved secu- of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. decision was made — giv-
rity costs. The officials spoke on con- ing his staff plenty of time
The Republican president's dition of anonymity to dis- to ensure he was made
finger-pointing set off a so- cuss private meetings and aware of the planning esti-
cial media spat with D.C.'s conversations. mate's accuracy.
Democratic Mayor Muriel When details came out One reason for the political
Bowser. She shot back on publicly Thursday, senior sensitivity was that Trump
Twitter Friday that she was White House officials, in- himself had boasted that
the one who "finally got cluding Chief of Staff John the cancellation of a major
thru to the reality star in the Kelly, were angry about the military exercise with South
White House with the re- $92 million amount, which Korea amid easing tensions
alities ($21.6M) of parades/ was more than triple early with North Korea would
events/demonstrations in estimates of $10 million to save the U.S. "a tremen-
Trump America (sad)." $30 million by the White dous amount of money."
District of Columbia officials House budget director. The Pentagon later said the
called the price-gouging It's not clear when Trump Korea drills, which typically
charge by Trump "patently was told, but the order to take place every August,
false." A city official said cancel the parade came would have cost $14 million
the $21.6 million estimate quickly and was made by — an amount dwarfed by
of the costs the city would the end of the work day. the estimated cost of the
incur was their "best stab The Pentagon announced parade.
at it," since they did not the decision just before 8 The cancellation of those
know what the exact route p.m. drills, like Trump's demand
would be or how long it Throughout the day, mul- for a parade, initially
would last. The official, tiple U.S. officials had caught the Defense De-
who wasn't authorized to confirmed the $92 million partment unawares. Mattis
discuss the matter publicly estimate that was put to- was also widely viewed as
and spoke on condition of gether by the interagency being unenthusiastic about