Trump's Salute to America cost DC, feds more than $5 million

[DonViejo]

By STEPHANIE EBBS
Jul 10, 2019, 7:23 PM ET

President Donald Trump's Fourth of July celebration last week cost the federal government and Washington, D.C., $5.35 million, according to an Interior Department letter released exclusively to ABC News.

The Interior Department and National Park Service spent $2.45 million on staffing, medical services, barricades, and other logistics for the event, called Salute to America, which does not include the cost of other Fourth of July events like the Capitol Fourth concert.

The city of Washington, D.C., and Department of Defense said the Salute to America event and security cost $1.7 million and $1.2 million respectively, bringing the total cost of the event to $5.35 million.

National Park Service Deputy Director Dan Smith, who is serving in the director capacity, said the spending was worth it for the exposure it generated for the National Park Service and educational value of an event focused on American history and the contributions of military service members and families.

“If you could tell me that for $2.5 million additional dollars the exposure we got from this televised event, it’s a great bang for the buck,” he told ABC News.

more
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trumps-salute-america-cost-dc-feds-million/story?id=64251913

[brewens]

1. But really the speech with the airports thing was probably worth it! Comedy gold! n/t