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Trump Baby Blimp Crashes Washington Independence Day Celebration

The 20-foot balloon has arrived in D.C. as a protest against the president's militaristic Fourth of July extravaganza.

The infamous Trump baby blimp has arrived in Washington, D.C., as a protest against the president’s militaristic Independence Day extravaganza.

Anti-war organization Codepink announced the arrival of the 20-foot balloon shaped like an infant President Donald Trump, complete with a diaper and a sneering face topped with a mop of golden hair. It will sit on the National Mall for most of the day.

In a press release announcing the demonstration, the group’s co-director Ariel Gold condemned the president’s “Salute to America” celebration, which includes a weaponry display featuring tanks and fighter jets.

“It is very alarming to see Trump turn a traditionally non-partisan celebration into a Trump rally and a military spectacle,” Gold said. “It’s absolutely shameful that money is being spent to divide this country even further, and to legitimize the violence of war when so many Americans don’t have access to basic healthcare.”

Trump’s event has faced criticism for its use of taxpayer dollars to fund his Lincoln Memorial event, which has evidently become politicized despite the city’s July Fourth celebrations being traditionally nonpartisan.

Earlier this week, HuffPost reported that the Republican National Committee offered tickets to the president’s allies and major donors.

In addition to Codepink’s baby blimp, the group is also displaying a 16-foot Trump robot seated on a golden toilet and sporting his signature “Make America Great Again” hat.

As the robot moves, it recites Trump taglines including calling the Russia probe a “witch hunt,” decrying “fake news” and proclaiming himself to be “a very stable genius.”

The blimp, which stole the spotlight soaring over protests during both of Trump’s visits to the U.K., may have trouble getting off the ground during its stay in Washington.

According to The Guardian, the National Park Service granted Codepink a permit to fly it, but only if it didn’t use helium, presenting an obstacle to making it airborne.

However, Medea Benjamin, the organization’s co-founder, told the outlet she’s up for the challenge.

“We plan to fly the blimp, hopefully with helium, but if not, with air,” she said. “It is ironic that it is right here, in the ‘land of the free,’ the balloon is being grounded.”

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