McCollum Statement on President Trump’s Fourth of July “Salute to America” Event

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.), Chair of the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee and Vice Chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, released the following statement today after reports about President Trump's intention to use tanks, fighter jets, and other U.S. military equipment in his Fourth of July "Salute to America" event:

"The Fourth of July festivities in our nation's Capital are intended to be patriotic and welcoming to all Americans. Instead, Mr. Trump is hijacking the celebration and twisting it into a taxpayer-funded, partisan political rally that's more about promoting a Trumpian cult of personality than the spirit of American independence and freedom. The fact that the Republican National Committee is selling VIP tickets to the event only proves that in the Trump era, nothing is sacred and everything is available for sale. But most shameful of all is that our military is being co-opted for a gratuitous display of strength by a Commander-in-Chief who relishes the attention of dictators and despots. The American people should never allow any President of the United States to behave this way."

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