President Trump has dismissed concerns raised by military families regarding grim conditions and mental health strains on the overextended aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. He asserted that the families of the sailors on board were not actually concerned about the conditions, despite multiple relatives speaking out about deteriorating mental health and supply issues.
The media is full of reports from various family members of sailors on the aircraft carrier complaining about the stress sailors are experiencing because of the long deployment in the Middle East. A few have attempted suicide. Trump’s history of disdain for the military does not help.
Pete Buttigieg, former United States Secretary of Transportation, has commented on the situation, “Our service members are paying the heaviest price for Trump’s new Middle East war. The very least he can do as Commander-in-Chief is support them, not insult them.”
But Trump has long been dismissive of military personnel. The following are some of his comments about the military over recent years as reported in the media.
On US military officials
“I don’t want to tell you what I had to go through with these people. Some of the dumbest people I’ve ever met in my life.” October 16, 2023.
“I wouldn’t go to war with you people. You’re a bunch of dopes and babies.” July 20, 2017.
“You f…ing generals. Why can’t you be more like Hitler’s generals?” 2017. Trump denies having made this remark.
On the burial of US Army private Vanessa Guillén
“It doesn’t cost 60,000 bucks to bury a f…ing Mexican!” December 04, 2020. Trump has denied having made the remark.
On the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who was a prisoner of war in Vietnam for five and a half years
“He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured, okay? I hate to tell you.” July 18, 2015
“We’re not going to support that loser’s funeral.” August 28, Trump has denied having made this remark.
“Obamacare is a catastrophe, nobody talks about it. You know, without John McCain, we would have had it done. But John McCain, for some reason, couldn’t get his arm up.”(McCain’s arm was severely injured in the war.) July 16, 2024.
On lowering flags to half-mast after McCain’s death
“What the f..k are we doing that for? Guy was a f…ing loser.” August 2018. Trump has denied making this remark.
On recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor
“It’s the equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor. But the civilian version, it’s actually much better because everyone that gets the Congressional Medal of Honor, they’re soldiers. They’re either in very bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets or they’re dead.” August 15, 2024.
On not serving in the Vietnam War
“But, you know, during the Vietnam War, I got very lucky. I had a very high lottery number.” November 9, 1995.
On concocting a fake injury to avoid service in Vietnam
“You think I’m stupid? I wasn’t going to Vietnam.” 2016.
On troops wounded in an Iranian retaliatory strike on a US airbase in Iraq
“I heard that they had headaches and a couple of other things. But I would say, and I can report, it is not very serious.” January 8, 2020.
On fallen soldiers at Aisne-Marne American Cemetery
“Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers.” November 22, 2018. Trump denies having made this remark.
On the 1,800 US Marines who died at Belleau Wood in France during World War I
“Suckers.” November 11, 2018. Trump denies having made this remark.
On US soldiers in World War I
“Who were the good guys in this war?” November 11, 2018. Trump denies having asked this question.”
“I don’t get it. What was in it for them?” November 11, 2018. Trump denies having made this remark.
On disabled veterans
“Why do you bring people like that here? No one wants to see that, the wounded.” September 30, 2019.
“Look, I don’t want any wounded guys in the parade. This doesn’t look good for me.” Summer 2017.
Someone with such negative views of the military may not care about the lives of military personnel.
