By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent

Despite owning a residence in New York and a golf course in New Jersey, Donald Trump reportedly spends nearly $800,000 most weekends to travel to his private club in Florida, racking up an estimated $26.1 million in taxpayer costs since 2017. Based on a 2019 Government Accountability Office report updated by HuffPost, the figure reignites concerns about Trump’s use of public resources for personal luxury. “Who is really being asked to sacrifice? You or President Trump and Elon Musk?” asked Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.), who criticized the excessive travel costs in a recent op-ed. The spending revelations come as the Trump administration holds early talks about staging a grand military parade in the nation’s capital on June 14—Trump’s 79th birthday and the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. While the White House has not officially confirmed a parade, officials are in discussions about potentially tying the event to the Army’s long-planned birthday festival.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the administration reached out about hosting the event, which could stretch from Arlington, Virginia, across the Potomac River into downtown Washington. Several reports said the Army has planned a birthday celebration for nearly two years and may incorporate a parade. “It’s too early to say yet whether or not we’re having a parade but we’re working with the White House as well as several government agencies to make the celebration a national-level event,” said Col. David Butler, an Army spokesman. Trump previously pushed for a similar parade during his first term, inspired by France’s Bastille Day festivities. However, the proposed 2018 event was canceled due to projected costs reaching $92 million, with Trump blaming local politicians for “price gouging.” Mayor Bowser, speaking at a press conference, said she wasn’t sure if the current proposal is being officially “characterized as a military parade,” but warned that if tanks were used on city streets, “they should be accompanied with many millions of dollars to repair the roads.”

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Takis Karantonis, chair of the Arlington County Board, confirmed that the Secret Service contacted the county about the possibility of a military parade, though details remain sparse. He urged federal leaders to be “sensitive to the pain and concerns” of military families, many of whom face job losses due to recent federal decisions. Rep. Carter, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, called the timing and optics of the proposed parade deeply concerning. “While honoring our armed forces is important, such an extravagant display—especially during a time of proposed benefit cuts—sends a troubling message about national priorities,” Carter said. “That money could be used to strengthen veterans’ services, invest in public education or expand health care access—yet instead, it’s earmarked for spectacle.” Carter added, “This moment demands a serious conversation about how public funds are being managed. Wasteful and unnecessary expenditures erode public confidence in government and weaken our ability to govern effectively. Public service should be grounded in humility, not indulgence.”

Stacy M. Brown

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