The Trump administration wants $10 million more to cover its July Fourth celebrations
The Trump administration is requesting an additional $10 million from Congress to cover costs associated with patriotic events on the National Mall. Democrats, led by Senator Jeff Merkley, are questioning the funding request and criticizing the administration's management of these anniversary celebrations.
Why it matters
The request highlights ongoing political friction regarding the use of taxpayer funds for administration-led events and concerns over the politicization of national anniversaries.
The bill for America's birthday celebrations is growing, and the Trump administration wants taxpayers to foot it. It is asking Congress for an additional $10 million in reimbursement for costs related to patriotic events on the National Mall, including the Great American State Fair and the July Fourth fireworks display.
The revelations came from Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon, the lead Democrat on the Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee. He wrote a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on Wednesday outlining his understanding of the facts and asking for more information.
"It is unacceptable to ask the American people to bail out Freedom 250," he wrote, referring to the group that President Trump created last year to oversee anniversary celebrations, which critics say he did to bypass a bipartisan group that already existed.
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