As final preparations are made for Donald Trump’s elaborate ‘Salute to America’ July Fourth celebration in Washington, not everyone is as excited as the president himself.
Several celebrities including Mark Hamill, Bette Midler and Bill Maher have voiced their disapproval of the event on Twitter after Trump advertised it as ‘the show of a lifetime’ – complete with tanks, an Air Force One Flyover and a grand fireworks show over the National Mall.
‘We’re going to have a great Reelect ME Campaign Rally on the taxpayers dime w/ fireworks provided for ME by big donors-all disguised as a ‘Salute to America’ (& by America-I mean ME),’ Hamill tweeted Tuesday.
‘I told you Kim Jon-un & ME fell in love & if this doesn’t impress him-nothing will!’ the Star Wars actor added, referencing the North Korean leader Trump has bonded with in the past.
Midler translated her disgust into a poem, tweeting: ‘He’s demanding big tanks on the mall, For his Fourth of July Big Ass Ball, He wants soldiers, firecrackers, Flyovers and Fox yakkers, And your taxes to pay for it all!!’

Several celebrities including Mark Hamill (left) and Bette Midler (right) have voiced their disapproval of President Trump’s elaborate ‘Salute to America’ July Fourth celebration

Trump advertised Thursday’s celebration as ‘the show of a lifetime’ – complete with tanks, an Air Force One Flyover and a grand fireworks show over the National Mall
Maher went so far as to brand Trump a dictator for his insistence on having tanks at the parade. The comedian tweeted: ‘Tanks in the streets now? Shall we review the Dictator Checklist? You’re a narcissist who likes to put his name on buildings…you appoint family members to key govt positions..your rallies are scary…you threaten to lock up political opponents..your friends are other dictators.’
Actor Bradley Whitford tweeted: ‘Tanks in the streets are the dead canaries of a septic democracy.’
Filmmaker Judd Apatow simply said: ‘Not going to this parade is an important statement.’
Roseanna Arquette praised MSNBC for deciding not to air coverage of the event, writing: ‘Gratitude to MSNBC for not airing the dictators tiny .D..k parade on the 4th.’






The famous faces mentioned above are hardly the first to raise concerns about the cost of the extravaganza.
Trump responded to cost-conscious critics on Wednesday, saying the price will ‘be very little compared to what it is worth’.
In addition to the questions of cost raining on Trump’s holiday parade, his celebration faces the literal threat of rain – massive thunderstorms are in the forecast and could result in the festivities being canceled.
The heat and humidity in Washington D.C. may trigger afternoon and evening storms on the Fourth, which would disrupt the flyovers and the fireworks.
Scattered storms are most likely to take place between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m., the Washington Post reported. Trump is scheduled to speak at 6:30 p.m.
Lightening and thunder would put an end to Trump’s plan to address the nation from the Lincoln Memorial, showcase American military might on the National Mall, and have the military aircraft fly by.
But the president is plowing ahead – and first lady Melania Trump will there by his side the White House confirmed to DailyMail.com, arguing since the military already owns the tanks and planes, his ‘Salute to America’ will actually cost very little.
‘The cost of our great Salute to America tomorrow will be very little compared to what it is worth. We own the planes, we have the pilots, the airport is right next door (Andrews), all we need is the fuel. We own the tanks and all. Fireworks are donated by two of the greats. Nice!,’ he wrote on Twitter.
Service members moved the Bradley Fighting Vehicles into place around the Lincoln Memorial on Wednesday afternoon but the two Abrams tanks Trump wanted will arrive over night and be situated on the south side of the reflecting pool, according to sources involved in the planning.
President Trump wants a heavy military presence to show America’s might.
But the service chiefs for the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marine Corps won’t be there for Trump’s big show, the Pentagon announced on Wednesday.
Joint Chiefs Chairman General Joseph Dunford, acting Defense Secretary Mark Esper and other senior military leaders are expected to attend.
Navy Secretary Richard Spencer, acting Air Force Secretary Matthew Donovan and acting Army Undersecretary James McPherson will be there but acting Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy will not be present, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.
Also absent will be Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley – whom Trump has picked to succeed Dunford – and his Navy, Air Force and Marine counterparts.
The only service chief in attendance will be Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Karl Schultz. Instead of their top officers, the Navy, Air Force, Army and Marine Corps are sending a group of their next tier of leaders.
And that reflects an on-going fear among Republicans that attendance in general will be low, prompting talk of Trump’s Inauguration 2.0, where the White House insisted on record crowd size when side-by-side comparisons to Barack Obama’s inauguration photos clearly showed there was not.
‘They started this too late and everyone has plans already,’ said Dan Eberhart, a Republican donor told Politico. ‘Everyone will be there in spirit, but in reality, people planned their July 4th activities weeks ago.’
Despite the party’s attempt to woo high-profile donors to the event, most seem to be at the beach.
‘It’s not a very tough ticket to get,’ a Republican close to the White House told Politico. ‘They’re not going to give it away to anyone off the street, but if you have any juice at all, you can probably get the tickets.’

A Bradley Fighting Vehicle is moved onto the National Mall Wednesday

A large Bradley Fighting Vehicle sits in front of the Lincoln Memorial for Thursday’s Fourth of July celebrations

The military vehicles will be on display during President Trump’s speech Thursday evening

Members of the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, 1st Battalion, 64th Armored Regiment based at Fort Stewart, Georgia brought tanks to Washington D.C.

Military service men atop a fighting vehicle near the Lincoln Memorial for Fourth of July celebrations

The Army soldiers prepare their vehicle for display

President Trump is defending the cost of his Fourth of July plans, which includes tanks on display by the Lincoln Memorial

The Bradley Fighting vehicles were moved in front of the Lincoln Memorial Wednesday afternoon

Service members practice with bayonets before their July Fourth performance

Military drill teams like the one above will perform on Thursday

A military band rehearses for the Fourth of July festivities

The US Army Fife and Bugle Core – ‘The President’s Own’ – practices for the Fourth

Military bands will play a large role in Trump’s ‘Salute to America’

A stage is being built in front of the Lincoln Memorial for Trump to address the nation

Trump personally requested tanks be used for the Fourth

A Code Pink protester – with a ‘Baby Trump’ balloon – stands in front of one of the military vehicles on the National Mall

Barriers to help with crowd control go up in front of the Lincoln Memorial

Workers put the presidential podium in place for Thursday night

Protective glass is put in place around the podium where Trump will speak

While two firework companies have donated the $750,000 show, the president’s figures likely didn’t take into account the man hours need to run the aircraft – there are estimates it could take up to five or six figures per hour to fly the planes he wants in his flyover.
It costs about $205,000 an hour to fly the Boeing 747 that goes by the call sign Air Force One when Trump is on board, University of Denver professor Andrew Sherbo, who tracks such figures, told NPR.
The cost per hour for flying the F-35 can be $20,000 or more, according to Defense Department comptroller.
And The Blue Angels – the U.S. Navy’s demonstration squad – could cost $6,000 for the day, said Sherbo, a former Pentagon official.
White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow shrugged off criticisms of the cost.
‘I don’t get it. It’s a celebration of our country, our freedom, our leadership, our greatness. If it costs a few bucks, so be it,’ he told reporters at the White House on Wednesday.
And he said of the president’s speech Thursday night: ‘He’s going to extoll America and July Fourth and life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, with all of our grandeur.’
In addition to the lead up to the Fourth, there could be unanticipated costs after the celebration is over.
Kevin Donahue, Washington D.C.’s deputy mayor for public safety, told the Associated Press the city will send the White House the bill for any damage to D.C. roads and grounds by the heavy military vehicles.
Donahue argued city had little choice but to accept the tanks and other heavy equipment after Trump’s demands. He said civil engineers will be inspecting roads for damage when the festivities were over.
Two 60-ton Abrams tanks from Fort Stewart, Georgia, were brought to the nation’s capitol by train.
Bradley Fighting Vehicles had to be moved to the Lincoln Memorial on flatbed trucks after fears their heavy treads could damage roadways.
They were driven through D.C. streets Tuesday night – social media users posted videos of the military motorcade and its police escort driving by Nationals Stadium in downtown Washington.
And Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser told NPR the city wasn’t getting anything out of Trump’s festivities.
‘I don’t think we get anything out of it. We always are happy to welcome visitors to go to our restaurants and our hotels,’ she said, adding: ‘I have some concerns. And I also have some concerns about a president not celebrating the military but glorifying military might. That scares me the most.’

A ‘Trump Baby’ balloon floats by during a news conference with anti-war group Code Pink on the National Mall

The anti-war group Code Pink is protesting Trump’s ‘Salute to America’

Workers assemble glass for President Trump’s lectern when he gives his address at the Lincoln Memorial

Final preparations are being readied on the National Mall for the Fourth

Mounted US Park Police pass the the armored Bradley Fighting Vehicle

An M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle sits next to the Lincoln Memorial

A National Park Service employee checks out the preparations on the National Mall for the Fourth

Throughout this week, workers are building a stage in front of the Lincoln Memorial for Trump to address the nation. Lights, a sound system, and giant TV screens are being put in place for Thursday’s event.
Barriers to help with crowd control dot the National Mall, as do hundreds of port-a-potties.
But the protests have also begun.
The anti-war group Code Pink was at the Lincoln Memorial on Wednesday with small ‘Baby Trump’ blimp balloons to protest the event.
Additionally, the group plans to bring its large Trump Blimp Balloon and a 16-foot tall mechanical robot Trump who sits on a golden toilet.
The president’s argument is that the spectacle with be worth it.
‘Our July 4th Salute to America at the Lincoln Memorial is looking to be really big. It will be the show of a lifetime!,’ Trump tweeted on Wednesday morning.
And the president kept up the patriotic cheer in a subsequent tweet, proclaiming the U.S. has the greatest economy and military in the world.
‘We have the greatest economy anywhere in the world. We have the greatest military anywhere in the world. Not bad!,’ he wrote.
The president went on the defense after it was revealed the National Park Service diverted $2.5 million in funds to help pay for his event – money that is typically used to improve America’s national parks.
The National Park Service funds will come from entrance and recreation fees, The Washington Post revealed.
Democratic Congresswoman Betty McCollum, the Chair of the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees the National Park Service, vowed to investigate.
‘It is unbelievable that Congress – specifically the Appropriations Committee – was not informed of this use of taxpayer dollars before it was reported publicly,’ she said in a statement Wednesday.
‘Mr. Trump’s event is on federal grounds. The National Mall belongs to all of us. I’m prepared to use my full oversight authority as Chair of the Interior-Environment Appropriations Committee to determine how this decision was made and hold the responsible parties accountable. This administration needs to be reminded that the power of the purse belongs to Congress.’
But the funds transferred by the Park Service represent a fraction of what the president’s ‘Salute to America’ celebration will cost tax payers with money needed for security, staff to execute and clean up the event, plus all the preparations taking place on the National Mall in the lead up to the Fourth.
The military expects the celebration – which will feature flyovers by the plane known as Air Force One when the president is on board, the Blue Angels and other military aircraft in addition to the tanks on display and military personnel performing – to cost around $1 million, CNN reported.
And Mother Jones obtained a photo of a card being distributed to service members with instructions from the Pentagon about what to say – and not to say – when speaking to the media.
It suggests positive statements about America and their pride as a member of the Armed Services. It makes no mention of President Trump.

Service members stand near a Bradley Fighting Vehicle on the National Mall Wednesday morning

The vehicles were brought in Washington D.C. on flatbed trucks Tuesday night

D.C. officials have expressed concerned about the kind of damage heavy military vehicles will do to the streets

President Trump wanted tanks to be a part of his celebration

The vehicles were transported on flatbed trucks after fears their treads could damage D.C. roads

An American Flag hangs in front of the Lincoln Memorial during preparations for Fourth of July festivities

Several ceremonial military units such as the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, the US Army Band and the US Marine Corps Silent Drill Team will be on hand.
Also taking part in the show will be an F-35 jet from the Navy, aircraft from Marine Helicopter Squadron One, a B-2 stealth bomber, and F-22 Raptor fighter jets.
Additionally about 900 members of Washington D.C.’s National Guard have been called up to help with crowd control and security, CNN reported, which is nearly triple the number usually needed for the holiday festivities.
Typically, the entire Fourth of July celebration on the National Mall costs about $2 million, former Park Service deputy director Denis Galvin told the Post.
No final cost for this year’s celebration has been estimated.
Still in question is how the rest of the country will be able to view the president’s celebration.
TV networks are snubbing the celebration, saying they won’t show the event instead of Jeopardy! and their nightly newscasts, DailyMail.com confirmed.
ABC, CBS and NBC will not cover the spectacle in full on their evening programs but will air the president’s celebration on their respective online and app streaming platforms.
MSNBC also won’t cover the event live but might show clips during its newscast. CNN hasn’t commented on its plans for the celebration.
Fox News, however, will have a two-hour special on the event and C-SPAN will air it live starting at 6.15pm.

Rolling out the red carpet: A worker prepares a stage at the Lincoln Memorial for the big day on July 4th

Tourists walk on the stairs of the Lincoln Memorial Tuesday behind seating for July 4th events, in Washington, D.C

The Capitol and Washington Monument are seen behind a lighting rigger as she climbs a tower to adjust a light at the Lincoln Memorial Tuesday

A security guard stands watch at the base of the Lincoln Memorial Tuesday as D.C. prepares for July 4th events

Cleanup time: Worker power wash a M1 Abrams tank at a Washington D.C. rail yard before it is deployed near the Mall for Trump’s Salute to America

The tanks were brought to Washington D.C. from Fort Stewart, Georgia

To accommodate the flyovers and the fireworks display, President Trump is closing down Washington D.C.’s Reagan National Airport.
The Federal Aviation Administration announced that flights would be grounded from National, which is close to the center of D.C., during the flypast, from 6.15pm to 7.15pm, and for the fireworks, from 9pm to 9.45pm.
It will be the first time the airport has ever been closed for the annual July 4 fireworks, whose launch site was moved closer to the airport to accommodate Trump’s speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
Instead of being launched from its traditional location alongside the Lincoln Memorial’s reflecting pool, the fireworks will be launched from a barge in the Potomac.
The airport has closed before for flypasts, including a commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe in May 2015.
Trump has taken a special interest in the event and overseeing many of its preparations. He’s even added extra touches.
The fireworks display will be twice as long as those in the past and include new elements – such as a massive American flag and the words ‘U.S.A.’ spelled out in the sky.
It will run from 9.07pm to 9.42pm.
The president also claimed Tuesday the Pentagon is ‘thrilled’ with his plan to include tanks as part of his celebration amid reports military leaders were reluctant to have them as a part of the festivities.
‘Big 4th of July in D.C. ‘Salute to America.’ 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. Incredible Flyovers & biggest ever Fireworks!,’ the president wrote on Twitter.

Lillian Homyn, 8, from Warmaster, Pa. shows off her dance moves at the Lincoln Memorial Tuesday, as D.C. prepares for July 4th events

The Lincoln Memorial is seen above Tuesday as tourists swarm it as D.C. prepares for July 4th events

Military tanks get a good wash on Tuesday ahead of Thursday’s ‘Salute to America’

Preparations for the Fourth have been taking place all week in Washington D.C.

A fire extinguisher sits near a row of loaded firework launchers at West Potomac Park

Two M1A1 Abrams tanks and other military vehicles sit on guarded rail cars at a rail yard in Southwest Washington D.C.

City workers hangs US and District of Colombia flags on light poles along Constitution Avenue
His defense of upcoming showcase of American power comes amid reports the Pentagon was reluctant to display military vehicles and weapons in the nation’s capital the way leaders of North Korea, Russia, and China put on such shows.
Military leaders argue the U.S. does not need to demonstrate its military strength.
Retired Army Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling told Time magazine such a demonstration goes against American tradition.
‘A lot of countries have histories of longtime military conquest and the power and strength of the military supporting the government, but since our inception that has not been who we are,’ he said. ‘We’re the only nation in the world that defends a piece of paper. An ideology. And to say we’re going to strut our stuff with tanks and rocket launchers and things like that, is just not a good representation of what the military does in a democratic nation.’
The final cost of the president’s ‘Salute to America’ to tax payers is unclear and critics charge him with throwing a campaign-style rally – aided by Trump’s planned speech before the Lincoln Memorial – on America’s birthday.
White House officials deny that is the case – even though the Republican Party is handing out tickets to a special VIP section to hear the president’s remarks.
‘That’s absolutely ridiculous,’ Deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley said Tuesday morning on Fox Business Network. ‘This is all about a salute to America. The president is not going to get political. He’s going to celebrate the greatest country, the greatest idea in the history of the world, and that is the United States of America.’
The Republican National Committee will offer major donors tickets to the VIP section to hear the president’s address, the Huffington Post reported.
‘He’s going to have tanks out there. It’s going to be cool,’ one fundraiser told the publication.
An official with the Republican National Committee argued the Democratic National Committee had received passes to White House events when a Democrat was in the Oval Office.
‘It’s standard practice for the RNC to receive a small number of tickets to events just as the DNC did under Democrat Presidents,’ the official told The Washington Post. ‘This is routine for events like the White House Christmas Open Houses, Garden Tours in spring and fall, etc.’
Tim Murtaugh, communications director for Trump’s 2020 campaign, said his staff also received passes to attend the president’s Lincoln Memorial address.
‘As a courtesy, the campaign was provided tickets for staff and their families and friends, much like for the Easter Egg Roll or White House garden tours,’ Murtaugh told the Post.

Workers prepare a lighting and sound tower at the Lincoln Memorial

Lighting technicians drain rain water from plastic covering stage lights at the Lincoln Memorial

Speakers and a jumbo monitor have been set up for Trump’s speech

A fire extinguisher sits near a row of loaded firework launchers at West Potomac Park ahead of Thursday’s July 4th Salute to America celebration

Portable toilets are set up along the National Mall for the Fourth of July festivities

Workers prepare the stage before the Lincoln Memorial as security man the area ahead of the big day

White House staffers Hogan Gidley (left) and Kellyanne Conway (right) defended the president’s Fourth of July plans saying they are not political

Workers install security barriers at the Lincoln Memorial

Ready for the parade: The military have shipped two Bradley fighting vehicles (left), an M88A2 Hercules recovery vehicle in case they break down (center) and a support Humvee, and two M1 Abrams tanks from Fort Stewart in Georgia

Ready for problems: The four combat vehicles are backed up by the Hercules recovery vehicle and a Humvee with more support equipment

At least two M1 Abrams tanks and two Bradley Fighting Vehicles on flatcars guarded by military police are seen at a railyard at the southeastern edge of Washington on Monday

Arrival: The convoy of military vehicles on flatcars was seen in Washington on Monday

President Donald Trump’s ‘Salute to America’ celebration on July 4 is coming together as a stage was erected in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, on Monday (pictured)

The president has promised to go all out for Independence Day this year by sending tanks down the National Mall and having Air Force One do a flyover before the fireworks begin
Gidley also promised several surprises in store for the day.
‘We’re going to have a lot of surprises. The president didn’t get into all of them. In fact, private donations are coming in. The fireworks display is going to be five times that of normal years. So this is going to be the biggest and best celebration of the biggest and best country in history and we’re excited to be a part of it,’ he said.
White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said it is a public event.
‘This is a public event it’s open to the public. The public is welcome to come and celebrate our great country the greatest democracy,’ she told reporters at the White House Tuesday morning.
Trump’s ‘Salute to the Fourth’ is open to the public and free of charge.
Last year, Trump and his wife, first lady Melania Trump, hosted service members and their families at a picnic on the White House lawn and the president addressed guests from the balcony.
This year will be different, the president said earlier this week.
‘We’re gonna have a great Fourth of July in Washington, DC,’ Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday. ‘It’ll be like no other.
‘It’ll be special and I hope a lot of people come. And it’s going to be about this country and it’s a salute to America.
The president has wanted a military-style parade with tanks since he saw the French version on their Bastille Day celebration during his 2017 visit to France.

Tourists trying to visit the Lincoln Memorial navigate workers setting up for the ‘Salute to America’

The Capitol Dome and Washington Monument are visible in the background as workers prepare for the Fourth of July celebration

‘We’re gonna have a great Fourth of July in Washington, DC,’ Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday. ‘It’ll be like no other. It’ll be special and I hope a lot of people come’

Trump is essentially producing the holiday show himself, holding extensive briefings and weighing in on all aspects – from where the fireworks are launched to how military are honored

Workers build a stage and bleachers for the ‘Salute to America’ Fourth of July event on Monday

Protesters will be out on the Fourth of July as Code Pink has a permit to bring the Baby Trump blimp (pictured in Orlando in June)
Trump is essentially producing the holiday show himself, having extensive briefings on the subject and weighing in on all aspects – from where the fireworks should be launched to how the military will be honored.
In addition to the festivities, protests will also take place.
The Baby Trump Blimp will be on the National Mall.
Code Pink announced it has obtained the necessary permits from the National Park Service to fly the Baby Trump blimp in DC on July 4.
But the balloon will be unable to actually fly over the Mall, as helium balloon are barred from the area at all times.
Code Pink held a press conference Tuesday to protest the National Park Service’s refusal to let them fly the balloon a few feet off the ground.
Trump first got the idea for a military-style parade when he attended the Bastille Day festivities in Paris in 2017.
Originally he wanted a Veterans’ Day parade but that idea was nixed after concerns about its cost and the damage the military vehicles would do to the streets of Washington D.C.
In addition to the president’s plans, there’s also an annual concert on the West Lawn of the Capitol, broadcast live by PBS.
Actor John Stamos will host that event which will feature singer Carole King and characters from Sesame Street Street, including Big Bird and Burt and Ernie.

‘Salute to America’ is free and open to the public and free of charge, but a ticket-only area in front of the memorial is being set aside for VIPs, including members of Trump’s family

Workers hang patriotic bunting as they build a stage and bleachers for Thursday’s event

The Blue Angels – the US Navy’s demonstration squad – will fly over the National Mall

The plane known as Air Force One when the president is on board will also make a fly over

Trump originally got the idea for tanks when he and the first lady observed a Bastille Day military parade in France in 2017 (pictured)

Fireworks are seen around the Washington Monument during last year’s celebration