NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — President Donald Trump did not let the government shutdown interfere with a stop in Norfolk, Virginia, on Sunday to salute the Navy as it celebrates its 250th anniversary.
“I believe, ‘THE SHOW MUST GO ON!’” Trump posted Friday night on his social media site, Truth Social. And he wrote before leaving the White House for Naval Station Norfolk, “This will be a show of Naval aptitude and strength.”
The government shutdown that began Wednesday has sparked a series of partisan blame games as military personnel are working without pay, several thousand federal employees are furloughed and key infrastructure and energy projects in Democratic-run areas such as New York and Chicago have been put on hold.
There is the possibility that an event designed to honor the Navy could be dragged into the bitter politics.
Trump accused Democrats in his post of enabling the shutdown and trying “to destroy this wonderful celebration of the U.S. Navy’s Birthday.”
Senate Democrats rejected efforts to preserve a continuation of government operations when the new budget year started on Wednesday. They cited the lapse in subsidies that could cause health insurance costs to climb rapidly for people who get coverage through the 2010 Affordable Care Act. Democratic lawmakers also have sought to reverse cuts to Medicaid that Trump signed into law.
On top of that, both sides cite a mutual sense of distrust.
Democrats oppose Trump’s move to have his administration decline to spend congressionally approved funds, saying it undermines the budgeting process, among other concerns. Meanwhile, Trump has explored laying off federal workers at what he called “Democrat Agencies.”
Among those joining Trump for the festivities were first lady Melania Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Navy Secretary John Phelan, Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins and U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, a former Navy rear admiral who was a White House doctor during Trump’s first term.
After his arrival in Norfolk, Trump went to the USS George H.W. Bush and spoke to the sailors and handed out challenge coins.
The Trumps watched a military demonstration while standing on the deck the aircraft carrier. Navy destroyers launched missiles and fired shells into the Atlantic Ocean, Navy SEALs descended from helicopters and fighter jets catapulted off.
Awaiting Trump’s speech was a large crowd on a pier, mostly sailors in their dress white uniforms and some families.
Trump on Tuesday addressed a gathering of military leaders abruptly summoned from across the globe to Virginia by Hegseth. The Republican president proposed using U.S. cities as training grounds for the armed forces and he spoke of needing military might to combat what he called the “invasion from within.” Hegseth declared an end to “woke” culture and announced new directives for troops that include “gender-neutral” or “male-level” standards for physical fitness.
The administration is seeking to reshape Pentagon culture and use military resources for the president’s priorities, including quelling domestic unrest and violent crime.
Trump has also engaged the military in an armed conflict with drug cartels, leading to four strikes on boats in the Caribbean that Washington says were involved in trafficking.
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Boak reported from Washington.
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