The Trump administration has asked Congress for an additional $10 million to reimburse costs from its Freedom 250 July Fourth celebrations on Washington’s National Mall. The request has intensified scrutiny of the taxpayer-funded events and of Freedom 250’s finances, particularly because the group has also sought private sponsorship.

The money would cover National Park Service costs for the Rededicate 250 prayer event, the Great American State Fair and the July Fourth Salute to America. Congress had already allocated $150 million for 250th-anniversary events; Senator Jeff Merkley, the senior Democrat on the relevant Senate funding panel, has requested a detailed accounting of spending and the need for further funds. Interior Department staff cited routine operational and security costs, while critics questioned why private fundraising had not met them.