Trump announces plans for 4th of July parade that already exists: ‘We get free fireworks’

Donald Trump has suggested he would like to start a new annual “tradition” in Washington DC to celebrate America’s 4 July Independence Day.

Speaking to the press, the president said it could be titled the “Salute to America Parade”.

On Tuesday Mr Trump said: “We’re thinking about doing, on the 4th of July or thereabouts, a parade, a Salute to America Parade. I guess it’d be really more of a gathering than a parade. Perhaps at the Lincoln Memorial. We’re looking at sites. But we’re thinking about doing something that would, perhaps, become a tradition.”

Those with a functioning grasp of tradition were quick to point out Washington already holds a sizeable annual parade on 4 July each year.

America’s National Independence Day Parade is watched by hundreds of thousands annually, is televised and “consists of invited bands, fife and drum corps, floats, military and specialty units, giant balloons, equestrian, drill teams, VIPs, national dignitaries and celebrity participants,” according to the parade website.

It also says it culminates in “one of the country’s largest fireworks displays”.

Mr Trump appeared to be aware annual festivities do already exist, but said his plan would benefit from “free fireworks”.

“The fireworks (are) there anyway, so we just saved on fireworks. We get free fireworks because it’s already being done. So, that’s very good,” Mr Trump said.

It is not clear how the two events could run side by side, as one of Mr Trump’s proposed parade or gathering sites is the Lincoln Memorial, which is already where many families assemble to watch the annual fireworks display.

Nor is it clear how much support Mr Trump will gain for an event founded on the basis of appropriating the fireworks from an existing parade as a money-saving measure.

At a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday Mr Trump said acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt would be responsible for the event, which is less than six months away.

A spokesperson for the Interior Department told CNN: “Salute to America is a great idea. We are working diligently to present the best options to the White House.”

Mr Trump has previously tried to organise a military parade in Washington, after he was inspired by France’s Bastille Day parade in 2017.

Alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, Mr Trump watched French troops march down the Champs-Élysées flanked by tanks and armoured vehicles as fighter jets flew in formation overhead.

At the time he said: “We’re going to try and top it,” leading to accusations from one US veterans’ group the president was “a wannabe banana republic strongman”.

But Mr Trump later said he had cancelled the event, calling the estimated cost “ridiculously high”.

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At the time, the US Defense Department announced it was postponing the parade and would “explore opportunities” with the White House to reschedule the celebration in 2019.