Military chiefs are rumored to be concerned that President Donald Trump’s July Fourth extravaganza could turn out to be an overtly political affair, putting them in violation of Defense Department policy.
An insider told CNN that many of members of the military’s top brass have been hesitant about accepting Trump’s invitation to the event at the National Mall on Thursday.
The president is pulling out all the stops to make America’s armed forces the focal point of the spectacle, bringing in a variety of weaponry including two different types of tanks and having Air Force One and the US Navy Blue Angels do a flyover.
Service chiefs have been asked to stand alongside Trump during the celebration, where he will break tradition by delivering a speech which could resemble the ones he gives on the re-election campaign trail.
Adding to fears of politicization is the fact that the Republican National Committee distributing tickets in a special VIP area.
The president is pulling out all the stops to make America’s armed forces the focal point of the spectacle, bringing in a variety of weaponry including two different types of tanks
Participating in the event could mean violating Defense Department guidelines that prohibit military personnel in uniform from engaging in political activity.
‘Military members may not participate in political campaigns,’ Jordan Libowitz, communications director for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, told CNN.
‘This is likely the reason why they’re hesitant to participate, because the guidelines are pretty clear about what they can and cannot do.
‘If they come to stand next to him for a political speech while in uniform, representing the military, it could become a problem.’
Military chiefs are rumored to be concerned that President Donald Trump’s July Fourth extravaganza could turn out to be an overtly political affair resembling one of his campaign rallies (file photo)
Libowitz also noted that turning the celebration into a political display could violate federal law, too, namely the Hatch Act, a federal law which bars government employees and resources from being used for political activity, and the Appropriations Act, which says government funds cannot be used for purposes Congress hasn’t approved.
The CNN source said Pentagon leaders were concerned about the optics of using military equipment for spectacle during the festivities – but they were overruled by the persistent president.
Promoting the event on Tuesday, Trump offered a very different narrative when he said ‘the Pentagon and our great Military Leaders are thrilled’ to participate.
The following day the Pentagon announced that the service chiefs for the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marine Corps won’t be there for Trump’s big show.
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.
Pentagon spokesman Thomas Crosson told CNN: ‘It is not unusual for senior leaders to send a representative to functions that they cannot attend due to competing commitments.
‘It is not in a military leader’s DNA to task a subordinate to do something that the leader does not want to do.’
Military leaders have been actively working to avoid military politicization in recent months.
In June, acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan issued an internal memo to all Pentagon personnel, service members and civilian employees asking leaders to ‘reinforce the apolitical nature’ of the armed forces.
The memo came after reports emerged that the White House Military Office had coordinated directly with the Navy’s Seventh Fleet to have the USS John S McCain hidden from view when Trump visited Japan.
Trump tweeted Tuesday that military chiefs will thrilled about participating in his celebration
The Navy Ceremonial Guard is seen practicing with M19 rifles with bayonets on Wednesday
Members of a US military band are seen rehearsing in front of the Lincoln Memorial in DC
Thursday’s celebration has also been shadowed by questions about how much it will cost taxpayers.
The president has insisted that the event will cost very little given that the military already owns the tanks and planes.
‘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.
There is also an ongoing 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.’