Military parade could cost $30M

could be its biggest obstacle. Republicans are already facing criticism from conservative economists and others for adding to the federal deficit at a moment when the United States is already borrowing heavily and when the nation’s debt has already topped $20 trillion. The White House budget released Monday projects deficits will grow $7 trillion over the next decade, in part because of the $1.5 trillion tax cut that Republicans passed last year.

The Trump administration has proposed cutting $3 trillion in nondefense discretionary spending, including by reducing funds for social welfare programs. This week, the Trump budget proposed cutting funding for the low-income food program known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, to pay for large increases in spending on the military. According to the left-leaning Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, the $30 million that would be spent on the parade would provide annual food stamp benefits for about 20,000 people.

“This would be a giant waste of money all in the name of satisfying the president’s fragile ego,” said Andrew Bates, a spokesman for American Bridge, the Democratic political action committee. “Donald Trump has already made the deficit skyrocket with massive tax cuts for the richest Americans and corporations; there’s no reason to add nearly $30 million to that number.”