July 03, 2019

Trump Revamps July 4 With Speech, Fighter Jets, Military Tanks
(Bloomberg) -- Fighter jets and military tanks will set the scene for an Independence Day speech by Donald Trump on the National Mall as the president puts himself at the center of a reimagined July 4 celebration.Trump will speak from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Thursday evening in what’s billed as an apolitical event that comes as the 2020 presidential campaign is heating up. The “Salute to America,” as Trump calls it, will feature flyovers and an expanded fireworks show that will briefly ground commercial flights.“The Pentagon & our great Military Leaders are thrilled to be doing this & showing to the American people, among other things, the strongest and most advanced Military anywhere in the World,” Trump wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. “Incredible Flyovers & biggest ever Fireworks!”But the show won’t go entirely Trump’s way. Protesters have a permit to display an inflatable version of the president that depicts him as a baby in a diaper with small hands. A similar blimp has greeted Trump on trips to London, but the Washington version won’t be allowed to leave the ground.Rebranded CelebrationTrump is effectively rebranding a celebration that attracts thousands of families to watch the fireworks but almost never includes presidential speeches on the Mall. Critics say his revisions risk turning Washington’s July 4th into a de facto Trump rally that’s likely to draw counter-protests.Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat who represents the District of Columbia in Congress, said Trump’s plans “look like a political event” and predicted a light turnout for his speech.“I think the president is in for another flop, and he’s going to have to explain a flop that he set up,” Norton said. “He’s still smarting from the thin crowds at his inauguration. All I can say is: You ain’t seen nothing yet.”The White House rejected the idea that the celebration would be political. Trump told reporters on Monday that the event will be “about this county and it’s a salute to America.” He said he hoped for a large turnout. Asked if he could give a speech to all Americans, Trump replied: “I think so, I think I’ve reached most Americans.” He went on to criticize Democrats on health care and taxation.Military ParadeTrump conceived the event after his plans for a military parade on Veteran’s Day were stymied by complaints from local officials about the cost. The president has been enamored of the idea of a Washington celebration with a military component since attending the 2017 Bastille Day parade in Paris, which included an aerial display, thousands of marching soldiers and hundreds of military vehicles.Trump’s remarks are expected to last roughly half an hour, an administration official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. His speech will celebrate America’s independence, the flag and the military, the official added.Trump will reserve space for special guests. Federal law bars political fundraising in government buildings or rooms where officials perform their duties, but doesn’t restrict presidents from inviting deep-pocketed donors to the White House or official events.The day also includes a parade in the late morning and early afternoon, and a concert at the Capitol.The fireworks generally last 15 minutes, but this year will span 35 minutes after a donation by two pyrotechnic companies valued at $750,000. Because of the flyovers, the Federal Aviation Administration will suspend commercial air traffic at Reagan National airport near Washington for the first time during a July 4th celebration. The FAA said flights would be affected again during the fireworks display.Abrams TanksThe Defense Department said Tuesday that it would provide a pair of M1A2 Abrams tanks and two M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles for the event. They’ll be delivered on flatbed trucks to avoid damaging streets. Organizers had yet to determine where they’d be placed.There will be several flyovers, including by the Navy’s Blue Angels flight team.The event also is renewing a long-simmering feud with local officials in Washington. The city has said that it’s still owed about $7 million from costs associated with Trump’s inauguration but the administration official said the District hasn’t asked for funds from upcoming federal budgets.The administration official declined to say how the costs of Trump’s celebration would be covered. Norton said Trump is “doubling up, tripling up on what he owes the District of Columbia.”Presidential RemarksWhile some of Trump’s predecessors have spoken on or around July 4th, they haven’t done it in quite the same way.Barack Obama delivered annual Independence Day remarks from the White House. Ronald Reagan gave a “Star Spangled Salute to America” speech at the Jefferson Memorial, near the Lincoln Memorial, in 1987, but did so on the morning of July 3.Richard Nixon recorded an address that played at the July 4th, 1970, celebrations, which were marked by protests over the Vietnam War. Harry S. Truman spoke at the Washington Monument on July 4, 1951, 175 years after the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence.Not all presidents’ attempts to celebrate July 4 have gone smoothly. In 1845, President James K. Polk hosted fireworks at the White House. With thousands of people gathered to watch, some of the rockets were accidentally fired into the crowd. At least one person was killed.\--With assistance from Margaret Talev and Bill Allison.To contact the reporter on this story: Josh Wingrove in Washington at jwingrove4@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Michael Shepard at mshepard7@bloomberg.net, Justin Blum, John HarneyFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.



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