Former Defense Secretary William Cohen has suggested “the most troubling” aspect of President Donald Trump’s takeover of the Fourth of July celebrations in Washington D.C. is its potential to politicize the military.

Cohen, a Republican senator who led the Pentagon under former President Bill Clinton, told CNN’s Anderson Cooper Wednesday that if the military was put under oath he believes “they would say it’s a terrible idea for us.”

“The moment the American people become convinced that if you’re a Republican, you support the military, but if you’re a Democrat you don’t, it’s going to divide this country and make us less secure in the future,” Cohen explained.

“So, I support having planes fly overhead, there’s nothing more inspirational to see the Blue Angels, but we can do that on Armed Forces Day, on Veterans Day, on Memorial Day,” he added.

Cohen also predicted the event would now become an annual tradition “as far as Trump is concerned.”