内容摘要：Wednesday’s ruling was unrelated to the Trump administration pending invocation of the state secrets privilege,

Wednesday’s ruling was unrelated to the Trump administration pending invocation of the state secrets privilege,

is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Kramon on X:WASHINGTON (AP) — Army leaders on Wednesday defended spending as much as $45 million to

to the service’s 250th birthday celebration on June 14 in Washington, saying it will help boost recruitment, as Congress members argued that the money could be better spent on troops’ barracks or other priorities.Members of the House Armed Services Committee also said they are concerned that the Defense Department is shifting about $1 billion from a variety of accounts — including base housing — to cover the costs of shoring up the defense of the southern border.Spending for the parade has become a flashpoint since it comes at a time when the Trump administration is slashing funding for personnel and programs across the federal government, including the Defense Department.

While the Army has long planned for a festival on the National Mall to celebrate its 250th birthday, thePresident Donald Trump has long wanted a military parade in the city, after seeing an elaborate one in France on Bastille Day during his first presidential term, and June 14 is also his birthday.

U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Calif., questioned whether the additional cost of the parade was appropriate since all the military services are facing 8% budget cuts, and said perhaps it could be used to improve troops’ quality of life or warfighting capabilities. He prodded Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll on what he would prioritize if Congress wrote him a blank check for $45 million.

Driscoll replied that he thinks the parade offers a chance to tell the public about the Army. “I believe very specifically that telling that story will directly lead to a recruiting boom and will fill up our pipeline for the coming years,” he said.Gareth Stace, head of the industry body U.K. Steel, added that Trump’s decision to keep tariffs on British steel at 25% was a “welcome pause” but warned that continuing uncertainty was making American customers “dubious over whether they should even risk making U.K. orders.”

Other countries may also seek reprieve — or retaliation.Late Tuesday, Mexican Secretary of Economy Marcelo Ebrard said that doubling the tariff rate on imported steel and aluminum “it is unfair and unsustainable” because it will damage both countries’ economies. Ebrard added that he will be in Washington on Friday to meet with top U.S. officials and plans to present Mexico’s arguments “to be excluded from this measure, because it does not make sense.”

Meanwhile, the European Union has outlined countermeasures in response to levies imposed on aluminum and steel earlier in the year. The 27-nation bloc later delayed those actions until July 14 in efforts to ease negotiations, but recently said that wasto enact if a trade deal with the U.S. crumbles.