Draft:Donald Trump Military Disrespect Controversy

During Donald Trump’s candidacy in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign, a political issue that gained widespread public attention was his attitude towards the U.S. military and its veterans. Multiple declarations by Trump were broadly denounced by the veteran’s community, in addition to leadership from both the Democratic and Republican parties. Trump’s comments included the controversial questioning of U.S. Senator John McCain’s service in the Vietnam War, remarks towards the Gold Star family of a slain Muslim U.S. solider, and the unprecedented criticism by a presidential candidate of the U.S. military’s top leadership and recent strategy.

During the election, the Trump campaign repeatedly downplayed the controversies, dismissing the combative rhetoric as “who he [Trump] was” and characterizing him as an anti-war candidate seeking to withdraw the U.S. from is Middle Eastern post-9/11 era conflicts. Trump ultimately won the race to become the 45th U.S. president and in doing so became the first president in American history with no prior political and no prior military service. Throughout Trump’s presidency, his relations with the veterans’ community and broader U.S. military leadership continued to erode to the point that by his term’s end, U.S. civilian-military relations were seen to have reached a “crisis” according to Washington’s leading national security analysts. The contentious issues included Trump labeling top military officials as “losers” and “dopes and babies”, repeated incidents of disrespectful behavior at remembrance ceremonies allegedly referring to slain U.S. soldiers as “losers” and “suckers” for sacrificing for their country and voiced concern about wounded veterans attending military parades for fear they would offend spectators. At multiple times during the Trump 2016 campaign, 45th presidency and 2020 presidential campaign, hundreds of former Pentagon, Department of State and intelligence community officials voiced concern over Trump’s character as related to respecting U.S. military protocol and traditions in addition to overall national security issues in interviews, published open letters and opinion pieces.

Significant unease over Trump’s effort to use the U.S. military for partisan political purposes were widespread during 2020, particularly related to Trump’s efforts to use the 1807 Insurrection Act to deploy active-duty military units against American citizens, a push repeatedly blocked by the Pentagon. The first incident occurred June 1, 2020 amid the nationwide unrest caused by the George Floyd police brutality protests in which Trump demanded the deployment of 10,000 active-duty troops to the streets of Washington and other U.S. cities in an Oval Office meeting with Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, who opposed this request. In November after his 2020 election loss, Trump fired Esper over the Insurrection Act, after Esper refused to deploy troops amid Trump’s unfounded claims of election fraud.

Pollsters noted that Trump‘s turbulent history with the Pentagon and unprecedented disrespect for U.S. military protocols impacted his performance among veterans in the 2020 election which he lost to Democratic challenger Joe Biden, whose son served a year in the Iraq War with the Delaware Army National Guard.

During the Trump administration, multiple accounts of his youthful views towards military service and the U.S. military in general, surfaced.

Allegations

Trump’s family and Young Donald Trump’s Attitude Toward The Military

Trump has carried disdain against the military from at least his time in high school at the New York Military Academy. Reports from The Atlantic regarding U.S. President Donald Trump's derogatory comments towards American war veterans didn't come as a surprise to his former high school classmate, George M. White, a retired Army veteran. White, who was Trump's superior at the New York Military Academy, recalls Trump's contempt for military service, discipline, and tradition. He attributes Trump's dismissive attitude towards military traditions to his upbringing and his father's financial contributions to the academy. Instances reported by The Atlantic, where Trump referred to fallen soldiers as "losers" and "suckers" during a trip to France and expressed skepticism about U.S. involvement in wars, have been corroborated by other news outlets such as The Associated Press, the Washington Post, and Fox News. Mary Trump, the president's niece and author of a bestselling book about him, has also commented on his military controversy, stating in a tweet: "In addition to serving in the Nat'l Guard my dad was a professional pilot at the dawn of the jet age. His brother Donald and his father Fred thought he was a loser and a sucker." These are facts reflecting perspectives on Trump's attitude towards those who served in America's wars and his view on the necessity for U.S. involvement, since his adolescence.

Deferments/Bone Spurr

Donald Trump received five deferments during the Vietnam War. From 1964 to 1968, he obtained four deferments for educational reasons while he was a student. In 1968, at the age of 22, Trump received his fifth deferment, this time for medical reasons, due to a diagnosis of bone spurs in his heels. This medical deferment came after his graduation and seven years before the end of the Vietnam War. The bone spur deferment was controversial because allegations emerged that it was a favor to Trump’s father by a podiatrist who was his tenant, raising questions about the legitimacy of the medical diagnosis.

Tensions and disparagement between John McCain and Trump

The relationship between President Donald Trump and Senator John McCain was marked by public disparagement and tension. Trump’s contempt for McCain’s war record first surfaced in 2015 during his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. Trump stated, “He’s not a war hero,” referring to McCain’s time as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. He added, “I like people who weren’t captured,” sparking widespread criticism for these remarks. McCain, a Navy pilot during the Vietnam War, was held for over five years in the notorious Hanoi Hilton prison, where he was subjected to torture.

Reaction to McCain’s Death

Trump's reaction to McCain's death in 2018 further exemplified their strained relationship. Initially, Trump rejected plans for an official White House statement praising McCain's heroism and military service, opting instead for a brief tweet: "My deepest sympathies and respect go out to the family of Senator John McCain. Our hearts and prayers are with you!" This response contrasted with the usual presidential practice of issuing effusive official statements upon the death of notable Americans.

Compounding this perceived slight, the White House’s handling of the American flag in the aftermath of McCain’s death became a point of contention. Just two days after McCain’s death, the White House raised its flag to full-staff, following protocol which mandates the flag be lowered the day of and the day after a senator’s death. However, this move was widely viewed as a snub to McCain, as presidents often override such rules in moments of national mourning. Trump’s initial silence and lack of response to reporters’ questions about McCain during a White House appearance underscored the tension. Eventually, under mounting criticism, the White House flag was lowered back to half-staff later that afternoon, and Trump issued a proclamation calling for flags to remain lowered until the day McCain was buried.

Renewed Hostility in 2024

On January 7, 2024, Trump rekindled his hostility towards McCain, mocking the late senator during a speech in Newton, Iowa. Referring to McCain’s vote against repealing the Affordable Care Act, Trump said, “Obamacare is a catastrophe. Nobody talks about it. You know, without John McCain, we would have had it done. John McCain, for some reason, couldn’t get his arm up that day. Remember? He goes like that. That was the end of that.” Trump’s derisive comments about McCain’s physical limitations and his continued disparagement of McCain’s legacy indicate the enduring nature of their feud, even after McCain’s death. This ongoing hostility has had political ramifications, as McCain’s legacy continues to influence Arizona politics and the broader national discourse

McCain’s Funeral and Trump’s Absence

Cindy McCain, John McCain’s widow, stated that Trump was not invited to McCain’s funeral in an effort to maintain dignity and respectfulness, highlighting the ongoing feud between Trump and the McCain family. Despite Trump’s absence, the funeral was attended by notable figures, including former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, who delivered eulogies. Trump’s contentious comments about McCain and his lack of participation in the funeral underscored the deep rift between the two high-profile figures in American politics.

Trump and Gold Star Families

Khan Family Controversy

During the 2016 Democratic National Convention, Khizr Khan, father of fallen U.S. Army Captain Humayun Khan delivered a speech criticizing then-presidential candidate Donald Trump’s stance on Muslim immigration. Khan challenged Trump’s knowledge of the U.S. Constitution and questioned his sacrifices for the country, stating, “Go look at the graves of brave patriots who died defending the United States of America. You will see all faiths, genders, and ethnicities. You have sacrificed nothing and no one.” In response, Trump suggested that Khan’s wife, Ghazala, did not speak at the convention because she was forbidden to as a Muslim. He also questioned whether Khizr Khan’s words were his own and defended his sacrifices by saying, "I think I've made a lot of sacrifices. I work very, very hard.” Ghazala Khan later explained that she did not speak because she was still in pain over her son’s death.

Controversy Over Trump’s Call to Gold Star Widow Myeshia Johnson

The controversy over President Trump’s call to Myeshia Johnson, the widow of Army Sgt. La David Johnson, a soldier was killed in a military operation in Niger, emerged after allegations that Trump forgot her husband’s name during the condolence call, causing her additional distress. Myeshia Johnson reported that during the call, Trump fumbled over her husband’s name and said that Sgt. Johnson “knew what he signed up for.” These remarks, perceived as insensitive, led to Myeshia breaking down in tears, as she felt disrespected by the President’s tone and his apparent struggle to remember her husband’s name.

Trump’s response to the controversy played out on Twitter, where he defended his actions, stating, “I had a very respectful conversation with the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson, and spoke his name from beginning, without hesitation!” Despite Trump’s assertion, Myeshia Johnson and Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, who was also present during the call, maintained that the President’s comments were hurtful and inappropriate.

Criticism from Bill Owens, Father of Fallen Navy SEAL Ryan Owens

Bill Owens, the father of Navy SEAL William “Ryan” Owens, who was killed in a January 2017 raid in Yemen, publicly criticized President Donald Trump for the raid that resulted in his son’s death. Owens refused to meet with President Trump at Dover Air Force Base during the dignified transfer ceremony. Expressing his deep-seated reservations, Owens said, “I told them I didn’t want to make a scene about it, but my conscience wouldn’t let me talk to him.”

Trump’s Attendance at Dignified Transfer Ceremonies

President Donald Trump's attendance at dignified transfer ceremonies at Dover Air Force Base became a subject of scrutiny and controversy. Contrary to claims made by Trump and his administration, reports indicated that he attended Dover Air Force Base for dignified transfer ceremonies only four times during his presidency. This figure was significantly fewer than what was implied by Trump's statements and fewer than half as many times as his vice president, Mike Pence.

The reduction in Trump's visits to Dover was noted following his encounter with Bill Owens, the father of a slain Navy SEAL, who criticized Trump for his role in his son's death during a failed raid in Yemen. Owens's refusal to meet with Trump during the dignified transfer ceremony was reported to have had a profound impact on the President, contributing to his subsequent reluctance to attend these ceremonies.

The controversy over the number of visits Trump made to Dover to honor fallen soldiers raised questions about his commitment to military traditions and his willingness to face criticism from military families. The discrepancy between his public statements and his actual attendance at these solemn events drew criticism and highlighted concerns about his approach to honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

Cancelled Visit to U.S. War Cemetery

In November 2018, President Donald Trump faced controversy following his cancellation of a scheduled visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris, France. The cemetery is the final resting place for American soldiers who fought and died in the Battle of Belleau Wood during World War I, a significant and costly battle for U.S. forces.

The cancellation occurred during Trump's trip to France to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. Initially, President Trump attributed the cancellation to poor weather conditions, stating that the helicopter assigned for his transportation, Marine One, could not fly in the rain, and that the Secret Service had deemed it unsafe to drive to the cemetery.

However, subsequent reports contradicted this explanation. According to sources with firsthand knowledge of the discussion on the day of the scheduled visit, President Trump expressed reluctance to attend the ceremony at the cemetery due to concerns about his hair becoming disheveled in the rain. Furthermore, these sources claimed that Trump questioned the importance of the visit, reportedly asking, “Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers.” In a separate conversation during the same trip, Trump is said to have referred to the more than 1,800 Marines who died at Belleau Wood as “suckers” for getting killed.

Further Comments by John Kelly on Donald Trump

John Kelly, Trump's former chief of staff and a retired Marine Corps general whose son was killed in Afghanistan, confirmed several instances of Trump's disrespectful comments about service members. Kelly recounted that Trump, during a 2017 Memorial Day event at Arlington National Cemetery, appeared to lack understanding of the motivations behind military service, asking, "I don't get it. What was in it for them?" Furthermore, Kelly's confirmation extended to Trump's reluctance to include military amputees in a White House event, citing concerns about the comfort of spectators. “Nobody wants to see that” Trump said.

Goldstar Event and COVID

In the fall of 2020, then-President Donald Trump suggested he may have contracted COVID-19 from a White House event honoring Gold Star families on September 27. Trump, in an interview with Fox Business, noted his close contact with attendees, stating they often wanted to hug and kiss him, and he did not discourage this despite the risks. The Greatest Generations Foundation, involved in organizing the event, reported that all attendees tested negative prior and exhibited no COVID-19 symptoms afterward. However, Trump's former chief of staff, Mark Meadows, revealed in his book that Trump had tested positive for COVID-19 on September 26, a day before the event, suggesting Trump might have been the source of infection. Meadows claimed a subsequent test was negative, and Trump assumed the first result was a false positive. This revelation, contrasting Trump's suggestion, led to criticism from lawmakers and veteran groups, accentuating concerns about Trump's handling of the pandemic and adherence to public health guidelines.

Alexander Vindman

Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, serving in President Donald Trump's National Security Council, raised concerns over Trump's July 25, 2019, call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in which Trump requested investigations into Democrats and Joe Biden. Vindman reported his concerns to the NSC's lead counsel and testified to impeachment investigators, despite White House orders not to. In response, President Trump dismissed Vindman from his role at the National Security Council, along with his twin brother, Yevgeny “Eugene” Vindman, also serving at the NSC. This dismissal was viewed by many as retribution for Alexander Vindman's testimony, which played a crucial role in the House impeachment inquiry.

Additional Critiques of Trump by Military Officials

During Trump’s time in office, controversies with the military rose to a level of seriousness that former leading military officials came together to sign letters in protest of Trump’s leadership. This occurred multiple times during Trump’s presidency.

During the first week of June 2020, a number of former top military officials, including Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis, Marine Corps Gen. John Kelly, Marine Corps Gen. John Allen, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, William Perry, Navy Adm. William McRaven, Navy Adm. James Stavridis, Army Gen. Raymond A. “Tony” Thomas, Air Force Gen. Mike Hayden, Ash Carter, and Leon Panetta and Chuck Hagel, publicly spoke out against President Donald Trump's actions. These leaders, totaling to 88 former defense officials, criticized Trump's threats to use the military against protesters, his divisive behavior, and his handling of national crises, expressing concerns about the politicization of the armed forces and the need for unity in leadership.

Additionally, a campaign initiated between New Year's Eve and New Year's Day 2021 successfully gathered signatures from all 10 living former U.S. secretaries of defense on a letter warning President Donald Trump against involving the military in post-election disputes. The letter, orchestrated by former ambassador and defense official Eric Edelman in consultation with former Vice President Dick Cheney and former State Department adviser Eliot Cohen, expressed concerns about the dangerous and unconstitutional implications of such actions. The letter was published as an op-ed by the Washington Post.

Trump and Mark Milley Controversy

The relationship between former President Donald Trump and General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was marked by significant discord, particularly highlighted by Milley's initiative to engage in direct communications with the Chinese military leadership. These actions, aimed at defusing tensions and ensuring a stable relationship between the United States and China, were starkly criticized by Trump. He labeled Milley a “Woke train wreck” and implied that such actions in the past could have merited the most severe form of punishment, suggesting that "in times gone by, the punishment would have been DEATH!”

Further exacerbating the tension was Trump's desire to deploy active-duty troops in Washington, D.C., in response to racial protests. Milley's opposition to this proposal, advocating instead for the preservation of citizens' rights to peaceful protest, highlighted a fundamental disagreement on the domestic application of military force.

Compounding the controversy were remarks by John Kelly, Trump's former Chief of Staff, regarding Trump's attitude towards Milley. Kelly remarked, “A person that has no idea what America stands for and has no idea what America is all about. A person who cavalierly suggests that a selfless warrior who has served his country for 40 years in peacetime and war should lose his life for treason — in expectation that someone will take action," directly referencing Trump's statements about General Mark Milley.