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Trump Will Become First President To Kick Off NYC Veterans Day Parade

Days after announcing Florida would be his new permanent home, President Donald Trump will return to New York to become the first president to attend the New York City Veterans Day Parade.

President Donald Trump

President Donald Trump

Photo Credit: White House

The White House announced this week that Trump will address the 100th annual Opening Ceremony of the parade on Monday, Nov. 11, following by a wreath-laying ceremony at the Eternal Light Memorial at Madison Square Park.

"I am proud to announce -- honored to announce -- that the commander-in-chief has accepted our invitation and will be leading the New York City Veterans Day Parade, the centennial, this year," Doug McGowan, the Chairman of the United Veterans War Council said on Wednesday, Nov. 6, noting that it’s the first time a sitting president has appeared at the parade.

According to the New York Times, Trump will not march in the parade, which kicks off at noon from 24th Street and 5th Avenue in Manhattan, but will give a speech.

Traditionally, sitting presidents are asked to attend the parade each year, but many stay in Washington, D.C., to attend the wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, where Trump has reportedly never made an appearance.

Not all were pleased with Trump’s planned appearance at the Veterans Day Parade.

"This is going to politicize the NYC Veterans Day parade like it’s never been politicized before," Paul Rieckhoff, founder of Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America, tweeted. "Having Trump there will turn a day that is normally about unity, into a controversial, political spectacle.

"At least parade turnout will be high,” he added in a second Tweet. "Unfortunately, it’ll be because so many people will be there to protest Trump. I also expect many veterans will now boycott the parade entirely. This parade will now be a (expletive deleted) of historic magnitude."

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