Former VA Secretary McDonough to host town hall countering DC parade

Former Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough will host a military and veterans town hall in Minnesota on Friday evening as part of the Democratic National Committee’s counterprogramming to the Washington military parade touted by President Donald Trump this weekend.

The event — part of the party’s “People’s Town Hall” series — will be held in the Twin Cities and also feature Rep. Kelly Morrison, D-Minn. McDonough served as the top VA administrator for former President Joe Biden’s four years in office and stepped down from the Cabinet post in January. He has largely stayed out of the public spotlight since then.

In a statement, DNC officials said the event is designed to “honor our military members and veterans and protect the care they so bravely earned.” They’ll also draw a contrast to the parade, which is centered around the Army’s 250th anniversary but will take place on Trump’s birthday and feature a massive procession of military equipment by the White House.

Army officials have downplayed the parade’s links to Trump, calling it an event to help boost public awareness of the service’s history and current missions.

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But the size and scope of the event have ballooned since the White House intervened in planning earlier this year, with an estimated price tag of more than $40 million.

This week, Trump said the event would feature “thousands and thousands of soldiers” and “a lot of those Army airplanes flying over the top, and tanks all over the place.”

Local city officials have expressed concerns about heavy Army vehicles damaging Washington roadways, while critics of Trump have compared the event to shows of military might usually seen in foreign dictatorships.

The parade and associated events are expected to bring tens of thousands of tourists to Washington for a day of military-themed celebrations, Army officials said.

DNC officials have not announced plans for a formal protest of the parade, although local law enforcement is expecting some protesters along the parade route and in the nation’s capital on Saturday.

Before serving as VA Secretary, McDonough was White House Chief of Staff and Deputy National Security Advisor under former President Barack Obama.

The Minnesota event is expected to focus on concerns surrounding the Trump administration’s plans to cut staffing at VA offices. Current VA Secretary Doug Collins has proposed trimming more than 80,000 employees from the department workforce in the coming months, a cut of more than 15%.

Democratic lawmakers have decried the proposal, insisting it will hurt benefits and services. Collins has disputed that claim, promising that front-line workers will not be impacted.