2019 Salute to America

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This article is about the 2019 event in Washington, D.C.. For the former annual parade in Atlanta, Georgia, see Salute 2 America Parade.
Salute to America
Salute to America (48201286086).jpg
U.S. Navy Blue Angels conduct a flyover over the National Mall during the Salute to America event
DateJuly 4, 2019 (2019-07-04)
Time6:30–7:30pm EST[1]
VenueNational Mall
LocationWashington, D.C., United States
Coordinates38°53′21″N 77°03′00″W / 38.8893°N 77.0501°W / 38.8893; -77.0501Coordinates: 38°53′21″N 77°03′00″W / 38.8893°N 77.0501°W / 38.8893; -77.0501

Salute to America was an event held on Independence Day, July 4, 2019, in Washington, D.C. arranged by the Trump administration. The event took place in the National Mall and included presentations of U.S. military vehicles, an address by President Donald Trump from the Lincoln Memorial, flyovers by military aircraft, and a fireworks display. The event occurred alongside pre-existing annual Independence Day events such as the National Independence Day Parade and the PBS-televised A Capitol Fourth concert. It was the first time a U.S. president addressed a crowd at the National Mall on Independence Day in 68 years.

The lead-up to the event was met with controversy. Critics of Trump expressed concerns that the celebration would be a political event reminiscent of Trump's campaign rallies, especially in the early stages of his 2020 re-election campaign. Concerns were also raised over the involvement of the military in the event, the distribution of VIP tickets to donors and members of the Republican Party, as well as the cost of the event.

Trump's speech largely focused on praising United States cultural and military accomplishments and featured themes of American exceptionalism and patriotism, avoiding political topics.

Background

Trump attending the 2017 Bastille Day military parade in Paris, France

During a presidential visit to France in July 2017, Donald Trump attended the Bastille Day military parade in Paris alongside French president Emmanuel Macron. Following the parade, Trump expressed admiration for the event, and stated that he wanted the United States to eventually "top it" with a similar, military-focused event. Trump proposed that a military parade be held in Washington on Veterans Day in 2018, in honor of the centenary of World War I's conclusion. However, the proposal to hold such an event was rejected due to cost concerns.[2][3]

In February 2019, Trump announced on Twitter plans for a "Salute to America" celebration on Independence Day, promising entertainment, a "major" fireworks display, and "an address by your favorite President, me!" It was later revealed that this speech would take place from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.[4][5] Trump became the first president since Harry Truman in 1951—marking the 175th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence—to address from the National Mall on Independence Day.[6]

The National Park Service stated that Trump's event was not expected to conflict with other traditional Independence Day events held at the Capitol, such as the National Independence Day Parade, the televised A Capitol Fourth concert, and its associated fireworks display (although due to Salute to America, fireworks were launched from West Potomac Park, rather than the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool). The producers of A Capitol Fourth distanced themselves from Trump's festivities, emphasizing that they were an independent and separate event.[7][8] Due to the circumstances of Trump's presence, the Federal Aviation Administration suspended flights at Reagan Airport during the event.[9]

Funding

Preparation for the event

The Department of Defense and the White House have not confirmed the cost of the event. It was reported that $2.5 million in entrance and recreation fees were diverted from the National Park Service to cover the event—funds normally intended for maintenance and improvements to national parks.[10][11][12]

Fireworks by Grucci produced the fireworks display, while Phantom Fireworks donated $750,000 in additional shells; both companies donated a combined $1.3 million in pyrotechnics for the show. The display was held in tandem with annual Independence Day fireworks produced by Garden State Fireworks under contract with the National Park Service, and was subsequently promoted as surpassing the Bicentennial fireworks as one of Washington, D.C.'s largest fireworks displays in terms of size and length.[13][14]

ABC News reported that Phantom Fireworks CEO Bruce Zoldan had met with Trump in May 2019 to discuss his proposed expansions of U.S. trade tariffs against China, that would have added tariffs on pyrotechnics. China is the largest producer of pyrotechnics in the world, and the majority of fireworks in the U.S. are imported from the country.[15][16][17] At the G20 summit the following month, Trump announced that he would resume trade talks with China and postpone additional tariffs.[18] It was insinuated that Phantom's donation to the event's fireworks show was influenced by Trump's decision on tariffs—a sign of successful lobbying. In an interview with WTOP-FM, Zoldan stated that discussions regarding Phantom's involvement in the show pre-dated the meeting by two months, and that the meeting was a general discussion on tariffs not from the perspective of any specific industry.[17]

Participants

Trump addressing the crowd at the Lincoln Memorial. He is flanked by Acting Secretary of Defense Mark Esper (left) and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford (right)

The event featured fireworks, seven flypasts, and music, as well as the first address from the National Mall on Independence Day by a sitting president in U.S. history.[19] Trump's address honored the history of the United States and praised the achievements of historical American figures, including George Washington, Betsy Ross, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Amelia Earhart, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight Eisenhower, Martin Luther King Jr., Jackie Robinson, and John Glenn. Special guests included Florida hurricane volunteer Tina "Angel" Belcher, cancer biologist Emil J. Freireich, Civil Rights movement hero Clarence Henderson, and flight director for NASA's Apollo 11 mission Gene Kranz.[20]

Salute to America featured an overarching theme of American military appreciation and patriotism. Trump requested the inclusion of tanks,[21][22] and that the chiefs of the Air Force, Army, Marines, and Navy stand next to him on stage during the event.[23] However due to preparations beginning only weeks prior to the occasion, most of the joint chiefs were on leave or traveling and were not available to attend.[24] The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Joseph Dunford, Jr., was available and attended, joining the president and Acting Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on stage halfway through the president's address.[25]

Members of the Silent Drill Platoon performing at Salute to America
Department of Defense footage of the flypasts during Salute to America

The United States Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon performed exhibition drills and the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps and the Army Band (Pershing's Own) provided musical performances. The Army Band performed several renditions during Trump's address, including Semper Paratus, The U.S. Air Force, Anchors Aweigh, Marines' Hymn, and The Army Goes Rolling Along.[26][20]

Military equipment representing each service branch of the United States Armed Forces were presented and demonstrated. Two M1 Abrams tanks and two M2 Bradley IFVs were put on stationary display around the Lincoln Memorial for the public while aircraft representing each service branch conducted flypasts during Trump's address. Trump introduced the Coast Guard first, represented by two HH-60 Jayhawks and an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter. Subsequent flypasts included: an Air Force B-2 Spirit escorted by two F-22 Raptors, two Navy F-35 Joint Strike Fighters and two F/A-18 Hornets in diamond formation, two Marine Corps V-22 Ospreys, and Army AH-64 Apache helicopters. Presidential aircraft, particularly Air Force One and the next-generation VH-92 Marine One, also participated. The aerial displays were followed up by an aerial performance by the Navy's Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron.[27][28][20]

Attendance and media coverage

A perimeter was constructed around the Lincoln Memorial with wire fencing spanning the Reflecting Pool to separate the ticketed areas intended for VIP spectators from the general public.[29][30] VIP tickets were distributed to the Republican National Committee (RNC), government officials, and other political allies.[31][32][33][34] Politico found that some donors and Republican Party members were reluctant to attend the event, with some of them already on vacation elsewhere for the Independence Day holiday. It also reported that lotteries were being held to give away blocks of 10 tickets each to White House employees. This is a common practice for White House events, but not normally in such a large quantity.[35]

Concerns over the attendance of the event were compared to the Trump administration's claims regarding crowd size and viewership of his 2017 inauguration.[36][37] Official estimates on attendance size were not immediately available, though multiple photographs taken during the event showed large crowds both within the guest section and among the general public at the National Mall, including tourists and general festival-goers.[38] Weather also affected the event; rainstorms passed through the area, while temperature inversion caused the smoke from the fireworks display to accumulate, obscuring views of the show by spectators.[39][40]

Media coverage

The White House's Facebook livestream of Salute to America

Out of the major cable news channels, only Fox News Channel aired live coverage, with CNN and MSNBC declining in favor of previously-scheduled encore programming, and the news departments of the Big Three television networks relegated live coverage to their respective digital platforms. C-SPAN also aired the event.[41][42]

Reception

Pre-event

Trump's supporters considered the event to be a display of the president's pride for the country and its military.[35] Comparisons were drawn to "Honor America Day"—a 1970 Independence Day rally at the Capitol in support of Richard Nixon, who appeared via a pre-recorded speech to attendees, in the wake of controversy over the Cambodian invasion and the Kent State shooting. That event also faced opposition, notably by anti-Vietnam War protesters and other protesters smoking cannabis in support of legalization.[43][44]

Concerns and criticism

Michelle Cottle of The New York Times, former House Republican David Jolly, and radio host Charlie Sykes accused Trump of turning the "non-partisan" Independence Day holiday into a political event—co-opting the celebration to promote his 2020 presidential re-election campaign.[6]

In tandem, concerns were shown for the prominent incorporation of the military into the event; retired lieutenant general David Barno told Politico that Salute to America "looks like it's becoming much more of a Republican Party event—a political event about the president—than a national celebration of the Fourth of July", and that it was "absolutely obscene" for Trump to "[use] the armed forces in a political ploy for his reelection campaign."[45][46] Some military and Pentagon officials had raised similar concerns.[35] Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) noted that Department of Defense rules forbid military members from participating in political events, and that the Hatch Act could also potentially apply.[47] Some media outlets also reported on the potential damage military vehicles could cause to local roads.[48][49] It was later confirmed that while military vehicles would be featured during the event, they would be parked on the National Mall and not parading.[50]

Democratic senator Tom Udall argued that it was "unacceptable that the Interior Department is failing to inform Congress about how it plans to spend taxpayer money to fund the president's lavish July 4th plans, which reportedly include special access to the National Mall for the politically connected." Trump downplayed these concerns, stating that the event would cost "very little compared to what it is worth".[10] The Republican National Committee defended its distribution of tickets, citing it as being common practice for the incumbent party's committee to distribute tickets to events of this nature.[35]

Journalist and writer Jeff Greenfield defended the criticism, noting that political parties "have been using the Fourth of July celebrations as platforms ever since our first parties," other presidents have given speeches on Independence Day, and that the inclusion of military vehicles could be excused as "just trying to emulate Thomas Jefferson" in 1801, "rather than the celebrations of military might more common to Moscow and Pyongyang." However, he did argue that Trump was "wreathing himself in the most potent symbols of American history—delivering a speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, site of the 1963 March on Washington, looking across at a landscape of monuments—without any appreciation for the history that made that whole landscape possible", and that Trump "has taken outsize delight in over-the-top celebrations and honors given him by foreign governments, a delight that seems to translate into bizarre foreign policies," referring to the aforementioned Bastille Day parade, and his stances on Saudi Arabia.[6]

Protests

The National Park Service issued a permit allowing the activist organization Code Pink to display a Donald Trump baby balloon during the event, although grounded and not using helium to float. The group also brought the animatronic Dump Trump sculpture—a caricature of Trump using his phone while sitting on a golden toilet.[51][52]

Hours before the event, some members of the Revolutionary Communist Party were arrested by Secret Service officers after scuffles broke out with counter-protesters during a flag burning protest in front of the White House.[53][54]

Aftermath

Trump addressing the crowd at the Lincoln Memorial. Two M2 Bradleys are on showcase

David Smith of The Guardian acknowledged that Trump's 47-minute speech "did not fulfill his critics' worst fears of a politically partisan, campaign-style rally", and mostly avoided politics in favor of "a heroic version of American military history". However, Smith did notice that many audience members were chanting pro-Trump slogans and wearing Make America Great Again hats, some held "Trump 2020" signs, and that the event as a whole did "provide the bombastic show of military might that had been widely predicted". He explained that "in a city that projects power through monuments, statues and its own Capitol, critics said it was the moment Trump went full Roman emperor, turning a traditionally nonpartisan day of events into a vanity project."[55]

Trump received criticism for making incorrect statements regarding the American Revolutionary War in a section of the speech, recounting that the Continental Army "took over the airports" (airplanes were yet to have been invented; the gaffe was subsequently mocked on Twitter using the hashtag "#RevolutionaryWarAirports"), and had "nothing but victory" in the Battle of Baltimore (which took place during the War of 1812, not the Revolutionary War).[56] Trump attributed the "airports" gaffe to his teleprompter malfunctioning and being difficult to read in the rain.[57][58] Canadian news outlets noted that Trump referenced Alexander Graham Bell's invention of the telephone as being part of the "culture of discovery" that was "unleashed" by the United States' "quest for greatness"; Bell was Scottish-born, and spent time in both Canada and the United States whilst developing the telephone, but did file his first patent on the telephone in the United States.[59][60]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Tanks, flyovers and fireworks: What to know about Trump's July 4th extravaganza". CBS News. July 2, 2019.
  2. ^ "No Military Parade For Trump In D.C. This Year; Pentagon Looking At Dates In 2019". NPR.org. Retrieved 2019-07-03.
  3. ^ Juliet Eilperin, Josh Dawsey and Dan Lamothe (July 1, 2019). "Trump asks for tanks, Marine One and much more for grandiose July Fourth event". Washington Post. Trump has been fixated since early in his term on putting on a military-heavy parade or other celebration modeled on France’s Bastille Day celebration, which he attended in Paris in 2017.
  4. ^ Wise, Justin (2019-02-24). "Trump teases 'Salute to America' on July 4". The Hill. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  5. ^ "Donald Trump's July 4 spectacle just keeps getting more and more absurd". CNN. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  6. ^ a b c Greenfield, Jeff. "3 Reasons Not to Worry About Trump's Fourth of July—and 1 Big Reason to Worry". Politico Magazine. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  7. ^ Evans, Greg (July 2, 2019). "Music Icon Carole King Clarifies 'Capitol Fourth' Performance: So Far Away from Trump". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 3, 2019. Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  8. ^ "Trump's July 4 address won't interfere with parade, concert, fireworks in DC". WTOP.com. June 5, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  9. ^ Samuels, Brett (July 2, 2019). "FAA to suspend flights at Reagan National Airport during Trump's Fourth of July event". The Hill. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  10. ^ a b Balluck, Kyle (July 3, 2019). "Trump defends 'very little' costs of Fourth of July event". The Hill. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  11. ^ "Park Service diverts $2.5 million in fees for Trump's Fourth of July extravaganza". The Washington Post. 2 July 2019.
  12. ^ Bowden, John (2019-07-02). "Park Service to divert $2.5 million for Trump's July 4 event: report". The Hill. Retrieved 2019-07-04.
  13. ^ "Boom: Donations to Trump's July Fourth 'Salute' to double fireworks display, longest ever". Washington Examiner. June 24, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  14. ^ "Trump pushes for military tanks on the Mall as part of grandiose July Fourth event". The Washington Post. July 1, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019. Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  15. ^ McLaughlin, Kathleen; Thrupkaew, Noy (2016-07-01). "Chinese Factories Make Most of the World's Fireworks. Unfortunately, They Keep Exploding". Slate Magazine. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  16. ^ Goldiner, Dave. "Fireworks companies donate $1.3M to Trump's Fourth of July party — eye tariff break on China-made pyrotechnics". New York Daily News. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  17. ^ a b Klar, Rebecca (2019-07-04). "Company that donated fireworks to Trump's event also successfully lobbied against tariffs: reports". TheHill. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  18. ^ McCurry, Justin (2019-06-29). "US-China trade talks back on track, says Trump". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  19. ^ "Politics and patriotism mix at Trump's 4th of July event". ABC News.
  20. ^ a b c "Remarks by President Trump at a Salute to America". WhiteHouse.gov. 4 July 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  21. ^ "Trump asks for tanks, Marine One and much more for grandiose July Fourth event". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  22. ^ "What we know about the tanks in Trump's 'Salute to America' on the Fourth of July". USA Today. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  23. ^ "Trump 'demands military chiefs stand next to him' at Fourth of July parade". The Independent. July 2, 2019.
  24. ^ Shear, Michael D. (2019-07-04). "With Flyovers and Flags, Trump Plays M.C. for the Fourth". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  25. ^ Joung, Madeleine (July 5, 2019). "Trump's 'Salute to America' Highlighted a Contradiction in His Presidency". Time. Retrieved 2019-07-05. Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  26. ^ Rupar, Aaron (2019-07-03). "Trump's controversial "Salute to America" July Fourth event, explained". Vox. Retrieved 2019-07-04.
  27. ^ Read, Russ (2019-07-04). "Here's all the military hardware you can expect to see in Trump's 'Salute to America'". Washington Examiner. Retrieved 2019-07-04. Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  28. ^ "Epic military flyovers, Trump speech, fireworks – 'Salute to America' takes place at Lincoln Memorial". American Military News. 4 July 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  29. ^ Samuels, Brett (2019-07-03). "Storms threaten to complicate Trump July 4 event". The Hill. Retrieved 2019-07-04.
  30. ^ Lejeune, Tristan (2019-07-04). "Trump avoids politics — but not the rain — at Salute to America event". TheHill. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  31. ^ More, Maggie. "RNC Receives VIP Tickets to Trump 4th Speech; DNC Does Not". NBC 4 Washington. NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  32. ^ Liptak, Kevin; Westwood, Sarah. "Trump's political allies receive VIP tickets for July 4th show". CNN. Retrieved July 3, 2019. Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  33. ^ Samuels, Brett (July 2, 2019). "White House guests to get VIP tickets to Trump's Independence Day event". The Hill. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  34. ^ "White House gives tickets to Trump's July Fourth extravaganza to GOP donors". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  35. ^ a b c d Cook, Nancy. "'They started this too late': Trump officials and allies anxious about July 4 fest". Politico. Retrieved 2019-07-04.
  36. ^ Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  37. ^ Hirschfeld Davis, Julie; Rosenberg, Matthew (January 21, 2017). "With False Claims, Trump Attacks Media on Turnout and Intelligence Rift". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 14, 2017. Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  38. ^ Dwilson, Stephanie Dube (2019-07-05). "Thousands Pack National Mall for Trump's Salute to America [Crowd Photos]". Heavy.com. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  39. ^ Bensen, Jackie. "Smoke Obscures Fireworks to Viewers on National Mall". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  40. ^ Winter, Damon (2019-07-05). "Opinion | Rain, Flags, Flyovers and Fireworks: The Fourth of July in Washington". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  41. ^ Patten, Patrick; Hipes, Patrick; Patten, Dominic (July 3, 2019). "Fox News Will Fly Biggest Flag for Donald Trump's 'Salute to America' Coverage". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  42. ^ Steinberg, Brian (July 2, 2019). "Fox News, CSPAN Plan Live Coverage of Trump's Fourth of July. Others Don't". Variety. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  43. ^ "President Trump Has Planned a Controversial Fourth of July 'Salute to America.' Here's What to Know". Time. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  44. ^ Shafer, Ronald G. "What could go wrong for Trump with July 4th parade? In 1970, protests and teargas marred the day". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  45. ^ Gibbons-Neff, Thomas; Schmitt, Eric; Haberman, Maggie (July 3, 2019). "'Leave Tanks for Red Square': Trump's July 4 Celebration Unsettles Military". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  46. ^ Morgan, Wesley. "Trump's Fourth of July extravaganza troubles former military leaders". Politico. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  47. ^ Sciutto, Jim; Gaouette, Nicole. "Military chiefs have concerns about politicization of Trump's July 4th event". CNN. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  48. ^ Dupree, Jamie. "Red carpet goes down for Trump's "Salute to America"". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved July 3, 2019. Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  49. ^ Holmes, Jack (July 2, 2019). "Our Large Adult President Wants to Play with His Tanks!". Esquire. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  50. ^ Browne, Ryan. "Yes, there will be tanks at Trump's Fourth of July event — but there's a catch". CNN. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  51. ^ Cole, Devan. "'Baby Trump' balloon gets permit to be present for July 4 in DC". CNN. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  52. ^ Folley, Aris (2019-07-03). "Giant robot Trump tweeting on toilet coming to DC to protest Fourth >celebration". TheHill. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  53. ^ "RevCom Joey Johnson Arrested for Burning US Flag". Scoop.co.nz. 4 July 2019.
  54. ^ "Flag burning in front of White House leads to scuffle amid 4th of July celebrations". Newsweek. 4 July 2019.
  55. ^ Smith, David (2019-07-05). "Donald Trump's July 4th jamboree: symbolic, jingoistic and untraditional". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  56. ^ "President Trump Said Revolutionary War Troops 'Took Over the Airports' in Fourth of July Speech". Time. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  57. ^ Folley, Aris (2019-07-05). "Trump says teleprompter to blame for claim Revolutionary War army 'took over the airports'". TheHill. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  58. ^ "Trump blames 'airports' gaffe on teleprompter". 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  59. ^ "Was Alexander Graham Bell American? Trump's speech sparks confusion". CTV News. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  60. ^ "Trump called Alexander Graham Bell an American – wait, wasn't he Canadian?". Global News. 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-05.

External links

External video
video icon President Donald Trump gives Fourth of July address from Lincoln Memorial (2019) - POLITICO
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