One day after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio was mocked for his ticker-tape parade to salute first responders, President Donald Trump has done him one higher, announcing U.S. airshows as tribute to America's healthcare "warriors," calling it Operation: America Strong.
"I'm excited to announce the Air Force Thunderbirds, who are incredible, and the Navy Blue Angels, equally incredible, will be performing airshows over America's major cities and some of the cities that aren't major cities," Trump told reporters at the White House coronavirus task force daily press briefing Wednesday.
"What we're doing is paying tribute to our frontline healthcare workers confronting COVID, and it's really a signal to all Americans to remain vigilant during the outbreak. This is a tribute to them, to our warriors."
Trump had expressed an appreciation for de Blasio's parade idea, but it was mocked for suggesting people line up without social distancing for a parade in New York City, the epicenter for the global coronavirus pandemic.
Instead, Trump will have the aerial stunt shows to perform as a tribute to those fighting on the frontlines for Americans during the pandemic.
"Because they're equal warriors to those incredible pilots and all of the fighters that we have for the more traditional fights that we win," Trump said. "We want to win; we always win.
"Sometimes we don't want to win, so we just go to a standstill," Trump adding, firing back at critics of the Reopening America Again guidelines. "But that's not the way this country works."
Trump said the idea was presented to him by the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels crews.
"Operation: America Strong was the idea of our great military men and women," Trump said. "The Thunderbirds and Blue Angels crews wanted to show support to the American medical workers, who just like military members in a time of war are fiercely running toward the fight.
"It's going to be great; I want to see those shows. I've seen them many times and I can't get enough of them."
Trump marveled at the skill of the U.S. stunt pilots, suggesting the fighter jets will not be practicing social distancing.
"They're going to be doing a lot of work, a lot of dangerous flying," he said. "It's dangerous when you start going at massive speeds and you're 18 inches away from each other. That's dangerous work."
Trump added the July 4 fireworks and American forces display on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., will go on as planned again, something he added goes on "forever."
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