# Does DC have to pay for security for Federal events?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dc-have-to-pay-for-security-for-federal-events/836871>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 10, 2019, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dc-have-to-pay-for-security-for-federal-events/836871 "2019-07-10T23:46:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dc-have-to-pay-for-security-for-federal-events/836871/1 "2019-07-10T23:46:11Z")

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According to the [Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/trumps-july-fourth-event-and-weekend-protests-bankrupted-dc-security-fund-mayor-says/2019/07/10/fb0d1de4-a316-11e9-b732-41a79c2551bf_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.518429b8d24a) - “President Trump’s overhauled Fourth of July celebration cost the D.C. government $1.7 million”

Does DC have to provide police and security for Presidential events? Or can the Mayor just say “We are not providing any security for your \<event\>, you are on your own”?

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**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\
**Post date:** [July 11, 2019, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dc-have-to-pay-for-security-for-federal-events/836871/2 "2019-07-11T00:02:43Z")

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Apparently Trump still owes DC $7 million for inauguration costs you’d think they’d ask to be paid pu front.

> **[Bowser to Trump: You owe DC $9M for your festivities](https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/dc/bowser-to-trump-you-owe-dc-9m-for-your-festivities/65-36fdcf9c-847f-4c1f-bb6e-d1e5fef84a78)**
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> Feds owe the District $7.3 million for 2017 the presidential inauguration and $1.7 million for Fourth of July festivities, Mayor Muriel Bowser says.

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**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\
**Post date:** [July 11, 2019, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dc-have-to-pay-for-security-for-federal-events/836871/3 "2019-07-11T00:12:50Z")

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By “security” I’d guess at the very least, the DC police have to provide traffic control and crowd control outside of anything that isn’t officially U.S. government property. It may be impossible to determine how much of the day’s expense was due to the Trump parade, and how much to the official 4th of July celebration later that evening, but that’s an argument over the exact cost, not about the necessity itself.