Pentagon delays Trump’s military parade until 2019

Officials say event will cost $92M

WASHINGTON — The Defense Department said Thursday that the Veterans Day military parade ordered up by President Donald Trump won’t happen in 2018.

Col. Rob Manning, a Pentagon spokesman, said the military and the White House “have now agreed to explore opportunities in 2019.”

The announcement came several hours after reports that the parade would cost about $92 million, according to U.S. officials citing

preliminary estimates more than three times the price first suggested by the White House.

According to the officials, roughly $50 million would cover costs for aircraft, equipment, personnel and other support for the parade in Washington. The remainder would be borne by other agencies and largely involve security costs. The estimate was first reported by CNBC.

Officials said the plans had not yet been approved by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

Mattis himself said late Thursday that he had seen no such estimate and questioned the media reports.

The Pentagon chief told reporters traveling with

him to Bogota, Colombia, that whoever leaked the number to the press was “probably smoking something that is legal in my state but not in most” — a reference to his home state of Washington, where marijuana use is legal.

He added: “I’m not dignifying that number ($92 million) with a reply. I would discount that, and anybody who said (that number), I’ll almost guarantee you one thing: They probably said, ‘I need to stay anonymous.’ No kidding, because you look like an idiot. And No. 2, whoever wrote it needs to get better sources. I’ll just leave it at that.”

The parade was expected to include troops from all five armed services.