Former President Donald Trump has denied claims that he denigrates members of the American military, labeling as false reports that he called wounded and killed American soldiers “suckers” and “losers.” Trump’s denials came despite the fact that the claim emanated from his own former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly.
Despite Kelly’s assertions, Trump has retained support from many in the military who trust his denials (and distrust Democrats) while other military groups found Trump’s alleged insults — coupled with his overt disrespect for the military service of the late Senator John McCain (“I like people who weren’t captured”) — disqualifying.
The group Republicans Against Trump — working against the takeover of the traditional GOP by Trump’s MAGA adherents — was especially enraged by Trump’s idea that military service lacked an honor component, not least considering Trump’s multiple deferments during the Vietnam era and the lack of military service by anyone in his family.
This week Trump stepped into a similar “suckers” and “losers” controversy when he spoke about having given, when he was President, the Medal of Freedom to billionaire Miriam Adelson, one of his top campaign donors.
In what the Republicans Against Trump called a “sickening” statement, Trump said giving Adelson the honor was “much better” than giving soldiers the Medal of Honor — because unlike the wounded or deceased military personnel, Adelson, 78, is “healthy” and “beautiful.”
Trump insulted our veterans again.
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) August 16, 2024
Trump just said that Miriam Adelson receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom (for donating a lot of money to his campaign) “It's much better” than the Congressional Medal of Honor:
“Because everyone who gets the Congressional Medal of… pic.twitter.com/kShBmM4OOc
“Because everyone who gets the Congressional Medal of Honor, they’re soldiers,” Trump said. “They’re either in very bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets or they’re dead. She gets it and she’s a healthy beautiful woman.”
This is one of the sickest things Trump has ever said. Medal of Honor goes to soldiers exhibiting extraordinary heroism in the face of imminent death. Not the same thing as Medal of Freedom, an award that went to Rush Limbaugh.
— Dr. Tom (@drtom878) August 16, 2024
[NOTE: Kelly described Trump as “a person that thinks those who defend their country in uniform, or are shot down or seriously wounded in combat, or spend years being tortured as POWs are all ‘suckers’ because ‘there is nothing in it for them.'” ]
The Medal of Honor is the nation's highest medal for valor in combat that can be awarded to members of the armed forces. The medal was first authorized in 1861 for Sailors and Marines, and the following year for Soldiers as well. Since then, more than 3,400 Medals of Honor have…
— gatomedianoche (@gatomedianoche) August 16, 2024
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