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left-of-center2012

(34,195 posts)
Sat Jun 27, 2020, 08:28 PM Jun 2020

1,700 troops will support Trump 'Salute to America' celebrations July 4: Pentagon

Source: The Hill

The Pentagon announced Saturday that roughly 1,700 service members will be involved in the federal government’s upcoming July 4 celebrations. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper approved a request from the Department of the Interior for defense officials to “support to the 2020 Salute to America,” on July 4, according to a Saturday statement.

This year’s celebrations will include a flyover of Mount Rushmore, in addition to an “areal salute” in cities that “played roles in the American Revolution,” beginning in Boston and proceeding to New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., according to the Saturday statement. The Defense Department will also “provide aerial, musical and ceremonial support” for the commemoration.

Lawmakers have asked the president to cancel the Fourth of July event this year amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Ten lawmakers representing the National Capital region sent a letter to Esper and Interior Secretary David Bernhardt on Tuesday expressing concerns over the event sparking an outbreak.

"Given the current COVID-19 crisis, we believe such an event would needlessly risk the health and safety of thousands of Americans," the lawmakers wrote. The letter was spearheaded by Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) and signed by Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), and others. "Further, this event would come at the cost of millions of taxpayer dollars while we are facing an unprecedented economic downturn due to the pandemic," they added.

Read more: https://thehill.com/policy/defense/504876-1700-troops-will-support-trump-salute-to-america-celebrations-july-4-pentagon

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1,700 troops will support Trump 'Salute to America' celebrations July 4: Pentagon (Original Post) left-of-center2012 Jun 2020 OP
Do they know drumpf is ok with Putin paying to have our soldiers killed? louis-t Jun 2020 #1
orders are orders..... but it was expected to keep the seats full getagrip_already Jun 2020 #5
Trump is using our tax paid military as a PROP in his TELEVISED 4th. of July CAMPAIGN RALLY! louzke9 Jun 2020 #27
And this is likely also a stealth way for Crime-mander in Chief to get that military parade. n/t forgotmylogin Jun 2020 #29
I hope they're paying attention to the news soothsayer Jun 2020 #2
holy fuck... stillcool Jun 2020 #3
Looks like he's commemorating taking over the airports again. denem Jun 2020 #4
Not necessarily with a full army. keithbvadu2 Jun 2020 #7
I understand he has requested a posting with Major General Arnold, denem Jun 2020 #14
Flyover of Mt Rushmore must be for a campaign ad. Freethinker65 Jun 2020 #6
The entire clusterfuck... SergeStorms Jun 2020 #10
Hey bunkerboi, be sure to display lots of your new posters...the troops will dig it Leghorn21 Jun 2020 #8
Trump wants his troops in place. keithbvadu2 Jun 2020 #9
1,700 troops will be unnecessarily exposed to deadly virus July 4th. tinrobot Jun 2020 #11
Two deadly viruses. Trump and Coronovirus-19, each deadly in their own terms...looking at you Putin NotHardly Jun 2020 #13
Sounds like a set up...Putin's sharpshooters gonna like 1,700 crowded into one small space NotHardly Jun 2020 #12
Will there be russian snipers xxqqqzme Jun 2020 #15
I spent 7 consecutive 4th of Julys at the Pentagon... MrScorpio Jun 2020 #16
This is as eloquent as I have ever seen you. murielm99 Jun 2020 #24
That's it exactly. nt oasis Jun 2020 #31
1.700 troops will be ordered to stroke Trump's ego. Flaleftist Jun 2020 #17
Beat me to it! Cannot image any service person supporting this asshole after his latest stunt Thekaspervote Jun 2020 #18
They'll look so Stupid.. supporting their Military Death Cha Jun 2020 #19
The super-spreader in chief. Initech Jun 2020 #20
so lone fat Refuck DEATH PANEL sacrifices even more US troops - who gets the bounty this time? bringthePaine Jun 2020 #21
Probably Putie will just put it towards his tab... GopherGal Jun 2020 #22
What role did Washington DC play in the American Revolution? Historic NY Jun 2020 #23
Forcing our troops to be a captive audience, and exposing them to Covid-19. SunSeeker Jun 2020 #25
Will they drop gas cannisters over the cities amd SharonClark Jun 2020 #26
... Aristus Jun 2020 #28
1700 props for the traitorous "Commander in Chief" democrank Jun 2020 #30

getagrip_already

(14,255 posts)
5. orders are orders..... but it was expected to keep the seats full
Sat Jun 27, 2020, 08:37 PM
Jun 2020

expect the pentagon to use soldiers on active duty to fill seats at trump events.

Do you really think they are worried about laws or policies?

Trump has ordered all seats full. The defsec will enforse it.

louzke9

(296 posts)
27. Trump is using our tax paid military as a PROP in his TELEVISED 4th. of July CAMPAIGN RALLY!
Sun Jun 28, 2020, 12:35 PM
Jun 2020

They will look KEEN on video and can fill in empty seats AT THE SAME TIME!

forgotmylogin

(7,496 posts)
29. And this is likely also a stealth way for Crime-mander in Chief to get that military parade. n/t
Sun Jun 28, 2020, 02:15 PM
Jun 2020

He can have his stormtroopers march in the streets of DC.

 

denem

(11,045 posts)
14. I understand he has requested a posting with Major General Arnold,
Sat Jun 27, 2020, 09:20 PM
Jun 2020

following a disspointment during the battle of baggage claim. Know ye of a patriot who may vouch for his good character?

Freethinker65

(9,935 posts)
6. Flyover of Mt Rushmore must be for a campaign ad.
Sat Jun 27, 2020, 08:42 PM
Jun 2020

The Badlands and Black Hills quite impressive. Mt. Rushmore from the road, yawn. Plus it is pretty remote. I appreciate the undertaking, planning, and effort to sculpt it, but I found the monument to Crazy Horse (still being completed) to be more interesting.

Seriously, flyovers of major cities are not that big of a deal. Most have had their share of air shows over the years. A big, meh. Money would be better spent giving the hospitals or schools in those cities some support.

SergeStorms

(18,907 posts)
10. The entire clusterfuck...
Sat Jun 27, 2020, 08:51 PM
Jun 2020

will be nothing but a campaign event for Hair Furor. All on the taxpayers' dime, again.

NotHardly

(1,062 posts)
13. Two deadly viruses. Trump and Coronovirus-19, each deadly in their own terms...looking at you Putin
Sat Jun 27, 2020, 09:07 PM
Jun 2020

NotHardly

(1,062 posts)
12. Sounds like a set up...Putin's sharpshooters gonna like 1,700 crowded into one small space
Sat Jun 27, 2020, 09:06 PM
Jun 2020

Trump is a traitor and his intel guys just carry his water ... his intel guys also allowed US soldiers to remain targets after getting no response from this 45 Adm. They hold responsibility as well since they were willing to remain silent while service members were killed.

xxqqqzme

(14,887 posts)
15. Will there be russian snipers
Sat Jun 27, 2020, 09:33 PM
Jun 2020

picking off service members? With the boom of fireworks it would be easy to mask a gunshot!

MrScorpio

(73,626 posts)
16. I spent 7 consecutive 4th of Julys at the Pentagon...
Sat Jun 27, 2020, 09:34 PM
Jun 2020

And do you know how many times I worked on that day each year?

None, zip, nada.

The freaking building was closed, hell... ALL of Washington DC was closed, because it was a freaking FEDERAL HOLIDAY. We all got to spend time with our friends and family, enjoy all the festivities, including a massive fireworks display on The National Mall to celebrate America (and not just any one narcissistic apocalyptic death cult leader in particular).

Of course, there were some people on duty for the day; essential personnel, like cops, medical staff, people manning the NMCC and whatever. But otherwise, if you weren't on duty that day, you had that day off. The 4th has NEVER been some military demonstration extravaganza until Trump. This was not our day as military personnel, it was everybody's day AS AMERICAN CITIZENS.

I figure that people in uniform resent being USED AS a prop of Trump's proto-fascism. He clearly does not know what the US Military is about. He doesn't respect the profession, or the dedicated men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line every single day, 24/7. He doesn't understand that US military personnel have all sworn an oath to defend our Constitution from ALL enemies, both foreign and domestic. He doesn't understand that he himself as behaved as a domestic enemy while in office.

And on this day, right after it was revealed that he ignored Russia putting a bounty on the heads of our brave warriors in Afghanistan, he's expecting 1,700 troops to play eye candy for his ego-boosting extravaganza. These will mostly be lower rank troops and NCOs who were all "volunteered" for this mess in exchange for a day off at a later date. A date other than one of the few days of the year when everyone could be at home enjoying some togetherness. If I were any one of those guys or gals, knowing what I know about the so-called "Commander-In-Chief," I would be royally pissed, having to spend the routinely hot as Satan's balls in DC day in July in my dress blues dodging a viral load while kissing Trump's ass.

This is some fucked up shit indeed.

Historic NY

(37,449 posts)
23. What role did Washington DC play in the American Revolution?
Sun Jun 28, 2020, 01:58 AM
Jun 2020

DC was found until July 16, 1790, the Revolutionary War ended April 19, 1783 with a Cessation of Hostilities

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