A military parade requested by U.S. President Donald Trump that had been planned for November in Washington has been postponed until at least next year, the Defense Department said on Thursday.

'We originally targeted November 10, 2018 for this event but have now agreed to explore opportunities in 2019,' Defense Department Spokesman Colonel Rob Manning said in a statement.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it was unclear exactly what caused the postponement but the increased cost of the event had caused concern and could be one reason.

The parade to honor U.S. military veterans and commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One could cost more than $90million, the U.S. official said, citing provisional planning figures that were nearly three times an earlier White House estimate.

The White House budget office earlier estimated to Congress the parade would cost between $10 million and $30 million. Pictured: President Trump stands with admirals at the Coast Guard headquarters in Washington, DC, on June 1

The official said the cost estimate of about $92million had not yet been approved by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and could still be changed and more options could be included.

In February, Trump asked the Pentagon to explore a parade in celebration of American troops, after the Republican president marveled at the Bastille Day military parade he attended in Paris last year.

Earlier this year, the White House budget chief said the parade would cost U.S. taxpayers between $10million and $30million.

It was not immediately clear why the recent cost estimate was so much higher than the earlier one, and what exactly it included.

A Pentagon memo from March said the Washington parade route would have a 'heavy air component at the end of the parade.'

'Include wheeled vehicles only, no tanks - consideration must be given to minimize damage to local infrastructure,' the memo said.

Trump was inspired to host the large show of military pride in DC after he attended France's Bastille Day parade alongside President Emmanuel Macron on July 14, 2017

The parade on Paris's Champs-Elysees was held to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of America's entering World War One

Critics say the government should not spend money on a costly display of troops and weapons when the Pentagon is struggling to cover the expenses of training, support and personnel.

The District of Columbia Council had ridiculed the idea of a parade on Pennsylvania Avenue, the 1.2-mile stretch between the Capitol and the White House that is also the site of the Trump International Hotel.

Military parades in the United States are generally rare.

The annual event (pictured on July 14, 2017) sees military tanks and ranks of soldiers marching down the Champs-Élysées in the center of Paris

Such parades in other countries are usually staged to celebrate victories in battle or showcase military might.

In 1991, tanks and thousands of troops paraded through Washington to celebrate the ousting of President Saddam Hussein's Iraqi forces from Kuwait in the Gulf War.

The American Legion, an organization representing U.S. veterans, released a statement saying that a military parade would be a misuse of taxpayer money.

‘The American Legion appreciates that our President wants to show in a dramatic fashion our nation’s support for our troops,’ the group said in a statement.

‘However, until such time as we can celebrate victory in the War on Terrorism and bring our military home, we think the parade money would be better spent fully funding the Department of Veteran Affairs and giving our troops and their families the best care possible.’