Donald Trump is throwing a lavish military parade on his birthday this year, but apparently many of his congressional faithful aren’t coming to the party.
Politico surveyed 50 GOP lawmakers, only seven of whom said they planned to attend the festivities in Washington, D.C., this weekend.
The near $50 million affair, which just so happens to be on Trump’s 79th birthday, will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Army. It’s set to feature a daytime festival on the National Mall followed by a 6 p.m. military parade, a concert and fireworks. The Army expects as many as 200,000 people to attend.
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But apparently, not many Republican leaders will be among them. According to Politico, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Majority Whip John Barrasso aren’t attending, nor is House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office didn’t respond to Politico’s inquiry.
Among those who made clear they were not going was Rand Paul, the Kentucky junior senator, who told reporters he was not in favor of “goose-stepping” parades. “I’ve never been a big fan of goose-stepping soldiers in big tanks and missiles rolling down the street,” he said in the Capitol. “So if you asked me, I wouldn’t have done it. We were always different than the images you saw of the Soviet Union and North Korea. We were proud not to be that.”
Lawmakers rarely spend time in Washington on weekends, returning instead to their families and districts.
Several lawmakers told Politico they’re skipping the event because they have prior commitments.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma told Politico it’s his anniversary this weekend, and “I choose to be married.”
Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Rick Scott of Florida are also planning to skip out, as will House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, however, plans to show her face.
“Yes, of course,” the Georgia Republican told Politico. “I’m going to be there for the 250th anniversary of the Army.”
Also from the House, Byron Donalds, Cory Mills, Elise Stefanik, Rich McCormick, John McGuire, and Lisa McClaim said they would make an appearance.
The White House told Politico that Trump “looks forward to a historic crowd at the Army Birthday Parade, where he will be joined by top military leaders, administration officials, congressional representatives, and most importantly, thousands of patriotic Americans to celebrate 250 years of honor, courage, and sacrifice by our United States military.”
The event is expected to cost up to $45 million, but the spectacle may not get much airtime on several major TV networks that will reportedly stick to sports programming. Trump can rely on Fox News, however, for hours of special coverage.
It’ll come in the wake of an extraordinary series of events in Los Angeles, where demonstrators protesting federal immigration raids prompted Trump to deploy 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines over the past few days
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has repeatedly called on the president to rescind his order, on Tuesday calling the deployments a “brazen abuse of power” that “inflamed a combustible situation.”
Newsom also condemned the upcoming parade, accusing Trump of forcing the military to “put on a vulgar display to celebrate his birthday, just as other failed dictators have done in the past.”
Trump said Tuesday any protesters at the festivities will be met with “very heavy force.”
