President Donald Trump‘s “Salute to America” Fourth of July event will divert almost $2.5 million from national parks, two sources familiar with the situation told The Washington Post Tuesday.
Previous Independence Day celebrations have had a total price tag of around $2 million, former National Park Service Deputy Director Denis P. Galvin told The Washington Post. But Trump’s festivities will include flyovers from military jets including the Blue Angels, a display of tanks on the National Mall, and what Time reported will be the largest fireworks display in Washington, DC’s history. The nearly $2.5 million diverted from the parks will only cover a fraction of the cost, The Washington Post said.
That money will come from park entrance and recreation fees, which usually go towards maintenance and improvement. The National Park System currently has a $12 billion maintenance backlog, The Huffington Post reported. The park money directed towards Trump’s event would typically have gone to improving the visitor experience at the National Mall or funding projects at smaller parks such as road repairs and habitat restoration, according to The Washington Post. The total equals around five percent of what lower-earning parks paid for upgrades last year.
“This is a breach of trust with the public,” National Parks Conservation Association President and CEO Theresa Pierno told The Washington Post. “The public pays parks fees to fix national parks and for educational programs, not the president’s parade.”
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