Donald Trump Fires Charles Brotman, The Legendary Voice Of The Inaugural Parade

In a surprising turn of events, Donald Trump has fired Charles Brotman, the legendary voice of the inaugural parade since Eisenhower, in favor of a Trump campaign volunteer.

Charles Brotman, 89, announced his first inaugural parade back in 1957 for Dwight D. Eisenhower and has announced every one of them for 11 different presidents until this year. The news has been especially hard on Brotman, as he lost his wife back in December after complications from a stroke. Brotman considered his preparations for the inauguration to be a welcome distraction from his grief.

Charles found out about the firing from the technically volunteer position this past Thursday.

Brotman’s replacement is Steve Ray, who the New York Daily News describes as “a 56-year-old broadcaster who volunteered with the Trump campaign.” Just another example of Trump offering positions to his supporters.

According to the official statement released by the Trump transition team spokesperson, Boris Epshteyn, “Since 1957, millions of Americans and countless entertainers have come to recognize Charlie Brotman as the voice of the inaugural parade,” CNN reports.

“The Presidential Inaugural Committee will be proud to honor Charlie as Announcer Chairman Emeritus on January 20. We are thrilled for Steve Ray to be introducing a new generation of Americans to the grand traditions of the inaugural parade.”

“I was crushed,” Brotman told the Daily News on Sunday.

“I’m the only guy in the world who has ever done the announcing of a presidential inaugural parade for the past 60 years. And there’s no way, I thought, that I would not be the announcer.”

Charles Brotman told local news outlet WJLA “I’ve been doing this for 60 years…. I was destroyed,” but added later that he was feeling better after receiving an offer for VIP seating and special recognition during the event.

“And I’m thinking – you know what, Charlie Brotman? You are one lucky son of a gun!”

Brotman has yet to determine whether he will attend Trump’s inauguration yet or not. He is waiting to decide if he’ll accept the Announcer Chairman Emeritus title as well. On the plus side for Brotman, he has received several offers from major news corporations to work for them on January 20. No doubt Brotman will be able to find someone who values his work come Inauguration Day.

Steve Ray, on the other hand, appears to be absolutely thrilled by the honor bestowed upon him. “I’m not replacing Charlie. I’m not filling his shoes,” the New York Post quoted.

“I’m really just the guy who’s next, because Charlie is irreplaceable. He’s an absolute legend.”

Replacing Charles Brotman with Steve Ray is far from the first showing of favoritism in the upcoming Trump administration. Ben Carson, a former presidential nominee candidate, admitted that he threw his support to Donald Trump after backing out of the race in exchange for a position in the president-elect’s administration. Carson is expected to be named Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, who believes poverty “is more of a choice than anything else,” according to Mic.

Or what about Jeff Sessions, the future Attorney General of the United States? The Washington Post reports, “After Sessions became one of the first members of Congress to endorse Trump this February, he became an adviser on almost every major decision and policy proposal Trump made during the campaign.”

Another key example is John Hoeven, a Republican Senator who has been named the new chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. Hoeven was a supporter of the Dakota Access Pipeline, and referred to the protests as “violent” and even requested that federal forces be deployed against the protesters, despite the lack of actual violence.

So what are your thoughts on Donald Trump firing Charles Brotman in favor of loyalist Steve Ray? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below!

[Featured Image by David Becker/Getty Images]