Trump tries his hand at autocratic showmanship
- Jul 14, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 14, 2024
July 14: On This Day In 2017
Note: Yesterday, we published a quick-reaction editorial about the terrible shooting. Last night we were asked if we would pause posting OTDIs in light of the attack. The answer is No. This is obviously a very difficult time for President Trump and his family--and for our country. Obviously the United States should not be the home of such violence, political or otherwise.
But while we feel sympathetic to the man, are glad that he seems relatively okay in light of how awful it could have been, and wish him a full recovery...that doesn't change the fact that he was named by historians as literally our worst US-president ever. (Biden was named the 14th-best). Within hours of the shooting, in the "betting markets," Trump's odds of winning in November increased drastically. And at least one prominent political observer came out with an endorsement of him. So we feel it's more important than ever not to let that sympathy blind Americans to the fact that while he sat in the Oval Office, Donald Trump did horrible things to the United States.
Today's OTDI describes his personal efforts to militarize our nation's joyful Independence Day celebrations -- to normalize the concept of our strong military rolling through American streets -- in the face of hundreds of years of tradition and even in the face of what the military wants.
In France, July 14th is Bastille Day, a celebration of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity. OTDI 2017, Trump was Emmanuel Macron’s guest at the Bastille Day Parade in Paris.
Trump was a huge fan of what he saw there. The marching bands, the uniforms, the rifles, the tanks, and the jets spitting red, white, and blue contrails! It made him envious, and he decided right then that he wanted a pony (sorry, a "party") like that for himself. He told his military brass: “It was one of the greatest parades I’ve ever seen! We’re going to have to try and top it.”
Difficult to accomplish physically. As per the order from their Commander-in-Chief, the Pentagon started drawing up plans for his big parade. They pointed out, though, that rolling our 70-ton, steel-treaded M1A2 Abrams tanks down the streets of DC would tear up the asphalt.
More importantly, we don’t do military parades here. Others were even less enthusiastic.
Several observers, including Vox, noted that Trump's plans looked more like what citizens would see in authoritarian China or Russia or North Korea than what happens in France.
House Armed Services Committee member Jackie Speier told CNN that she “was stunned … we have a Napoleon in the making here.”
“What an absurd waste of money!” Representative Jim McGovern tweeted. “Trump acts more like dictator than president. Americans deserve better.”
Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (ret.) said: “I don’t know a whole lot of soldiers who like them [parades].”
Other retired military personnel commented that the money would be better spent improving conditions for veterans or raising military wages.
Finally, Trump’s plan collapsed under its own weight: White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney initially told Congress his vanity parade would cost $10-$30 million. Soon thereafter the cost had jumped to $92 million. In the end, his show got drastically scaled down. And, true to US traditions, most of the powerful weapons Trump wanted to brag about remained in their bases where they belonged.
A Salute to The Donald: As we’ve seen so many times, here too Trump felt the need to brag to the voters that he has the biggest toys. And, he refused to “back down,” facts be damned. So, he lied about the attitude of “his generals.”
He tweeted: “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!”
It was, as Adam Taylor at the WaPo assessed, “a celebration of himself.”
Dive Deeper
BBC reported that Trump wanted to “top” France’s parade
Vox’s criticized that the parade was more Chinese than French
Business Insider reported on complaints about Trump’s parade
The Military Times reported on initial cost estimates
USA Today covered the cost increase
Trump’s lie that the military is thrilled about the July 4 parade was reported by CNN
PBS reported the cost of the 2019 July 4th parade here
WaPo’s opinion that the 2019 parade was Trump’s celebration of himself
Bastille Day pics by Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Dominique Pineiro
Summary: Trump tries his hand at autocratic showmanship, Trump wants big military parade July 4th