Donald Trump's Attacks Divide Military Families
The Republican nominee has upset the VFW and a faction of its membership, and shows no inclination to apologize.
Members of the armed forces, veterans, and their kin are hugely important to Republicans. “Add up active-duty military, reserves, national guard, veterans, and their families—you’ll find yourself somewhere north of 30 million people,” John Noonan
notes at
National Review. “That’s the second largest voting demographic in the country under Hispanics, and the only one that consistently votes Republican.”
Donald Trump is roiling them anyway.
Even as the candidate campaigns on the dubious premise that he’ll unite America, he has made a series of statements that predictably divide veterans and their families, even on subjects where there is no need to take any position whatsoever.
This began last summer, when Trump declared that decorated Vietnam veteran and torture survivor John McCain is not a war hero because he got captured. Earlier this spring, he
declared that U.S. soldiers would perpetrate war crimes if he so ordered,
drawing a sharp rebuke from current and former military commanders.
Yet many others cheered the VFW. Ken Russell, a veteran who sells real estate in Florida, declared, “Regardless your political flavor, THIS is the stance of a true Veteran and leader!”
William J. Payne, who served in the 81st Regional Support Command and U.S. Army Reserves, used the opportunity to remind VFW members of other Trump miscues:
Donald J. Trump, "Patriot," a "self made" man, had several student deferments before getting a medical deferment for "bad feet." Must have been because of those cheap shoes he had to wear growing up. In the words of John Fogarty, "I ain't no fortunate son." In other words he is exactly the "Sunshine Patriot" Thomas Paine was talking about... When his country called on him he shirked from his duty, and when he says that he backs our troops, during Vietnam he did so from way back in New York City, just like Jody.
But hey, Mr. Trump did spend time in an elite military school and that provided him with more military experience than most vets and he does know more about ISIS than the generals. And last time I looked he has two strapping adult sons, I guess spending a tour in the service never crossed their minds either, kinda unlike that non hero, loser, former POW John McCain and his family, where his two sons served. Let that be lost on no one, he called POWs losers. And now he is comparing the "sacrifices" that he has has to make in his business life to the sacrifice of Gold Star Parents.
Years ago he would have been booed by veterans but this year as he took the stage at the National VFW Convention my fellow Vets gave him a standing ovation. And I'm NOT advocating for Clinton either. Both choices are bad, when the best thing you can really truthfully say about a candidate is that they are not the other candidate, that's pretty bad.
Bobby Toothaker called the GOP frontrunner “out of bounds”:
I am a Life Member, formerly served as an officer.
I am so proud of the VFW and Commander Duffy for the release of this statement. I agree this is out of bounds... Anyone that disrespects our Gold Star family members can be advised where the boundaries are. This isn't the first time Mr. Trump has stepped out of bounds. This is the first time the V has advised him where they are. Commander Duffy would do the same for any public figure who repeatedly disrespects our Veterans.