Democratic lawmakers call for cancellation of Trump's Fourth of July 'Salute to America'

President Trump’s Independence Day "Salute to America" could be canceled if Democratic lawmakers get their way. 

Ten Democrats representing Washington, D.C., and its suburbs — Reps. Don Beyer, Steny Hoyer, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Gerry Connolly, Jennifer Wexton, Jamie Raskin, Anthony Brown, and David Trone and Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen — wrote a letter to Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt asking that the second iteration of the event be canceled. 

2019's Fourth of July event drew thousands of onlookers to the National Mall to witness Trump deliver a speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and an airshow featuring military planes. The Pentagon spent $1.2 million on the event, and the Department of the Interior spent $2.45 million. 

In their letter, the lawmakers argued that spending such funds in 2020 on a “vanity project” for Trump is financially wasteful. They also noted that the event would “exceed public gathering best practices and significantly increase the threat of community spread of COVID-19.”