Trump's military parade postponed until 2019

Put away your star-spangled pom-poms and Uncle Sam masks — the military parade extravaganza ordered by President Trump has been delayed until 2019.

The Pentagon made the announcement on Thursday night, but did not say why it is being postponed. Trump was so impressed by a military parade he saw in France on Bastille Day that he wanted the same thing in the United States, and it was scheduled to take place on Veterans Day to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. In March, the Pentagon said the parade would feature modern and historic war planes, but nothing heavy like a tank, in order to avoid damage to the roads in Washington, D.C.

Reuters reported earlier on Thursday that the parade could cost $92 million — an enormous leap from the preliminary estimate of $12 million. This new budget has not yet been approved by Defense Secretary James Mattis.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up