Veterans of Foreign Wars blasts Trump statement as ‘asinine’

Date:

Share post:


Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), one of the nation’s largest and oldest veteran advocacy organizations, on Friday condemned former President Trump’s recent statement comparing the Medal of Honor to a presidential award for civilians, calling his remarks “asinine.”

“These asinine comments not only diminish the significance of our nation’s highest award for valor, but also crassly characterized the sacrifices of those who have risked their lives above and beyond the call of duty,” wrote VFW National Commander Al Lipphardt in a statement Friday.

The VFW’s reaction comes after Trump equated the Presidential Medal of Freedom, awarded to civilians, to the Medal of Honor, which is awarded to soldiers wounded in the line of combat.

“That’s the highest award you can get as a civilian. It’s the equivalent of the congressional Medal of Honor, but civilian version,” Trump told attendees at an event at his Bedminister, N.J. club, attended by GOP mega donor Miriam Adelson, who was awarded the Medal of Freedom in 2018.

“It’s actually much better, because everyone who gets the congressional Medal of Honor, that’s soldiers, 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,” Trump said in reference to Adelson. “And they’re rated equal.”

The moment sparked an onslaught of commendations from veteran rights advocates and allies.

This is not the first time the former president has attracted attention for disparaging comments on wounded veterans. In 2020, the VFW demanded an apology from the president after Trump downplayed the injuries to 34 service members who suffered traumatic brain injuries as a result of retaliatory Iranian airstrikes by saying that they had “headaches.”

“TBI is a serious injury and one that cannot be taken lightly,” the organization wrote at the time. “The VFW expects an apology from the president to our service men and women for his misguided remarks.”

The Trump camp has not backed away from the former president’s most recent comments.

In an interview on NewsNation with Leland Vittert, Trump campaign senior advisor Corey Lewandowski defended Trump’s remarks as Vittert asked whether he was doubling down on them.

“Because there are some people who don’t serve in our military but should still be recognized with the highest honor our country has to offer them,” Lewandowski told NewsNation Friday evening in response to questions from Vittert about Trump’s comparison.

The clip was reposted by Kamala HQ, the vice president campaign’s rapid response team. The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Hill.

The controversy comes as Republicans attempt to attack Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Gov. Tim Walz’s service record, alleging that discrepancies in his public comments amount to stolen valor. Walz served as an enlisted Army National Guardsman. Republican VP-hopeful Sen. JD Vance is also a veteran, serving in the Marines during the Iraq war.

Following Harris’s VP announcement, Lipphardt lauded both campaigns for selecting veterans. Ahead of the election, however, VFW’s confidence in the Republican campaign appears to have soured.

“When a candidate to serve as commander-in-chief so brazenly dismisses the valor and reverence symbolized by the Medal of Honor, I question whether they would discharge their responsibilities with the seriousness and discernment necessary,” Lipphardt concluded in his statement.

“It is even more disappointing when these comments come from a man who already served in this noble office and frankly should already know better.”

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.



Source link

Alexandra Williams
Alexandra Williams
Alexandra Williams is a writer and editor. Angeles. She writes about politics, art, and culture for LinkDaddy News.

Recent posts

Related articles

Satire publication The Onion buys Alex Jones' Infowars at auction with help from Sandy Hook families

The satirical news publication The Onion won the bidding for Alex Jones' Infowars at a bankruptcy auction,...

Video appears to show a Ukrainian Leopard tank taking out a column of Russian armored vehicles

Ukraine released a video showing an attack on a Russian armored convoy.The brigade said a Leopard 2...

Iowa's list of the 35 lowest-performing schools now includes 12 from Des Moines

A dozen schools in Iowa's largest public school district have been identified by the state as "in...

At 8:21 a.m.: SpaceX set for Falcon 9 rocket launch from Florida’s Space Coast

SpaceX crews are preparing to launch a Falcon 9 rocket Thursday morning from Florida’s Space Coast.SpaceX is...

Sinkhole Swallows Motorcycles in Madrid After Water Pipe Breaks

A sinkhole caused by a burst water pipe forced a partial road closure in Madrid, Spain, on...

First-Ever Amber Discovered in Antarctica Shows Rainforest Existed Near South Pole

Imagine a time machine that could whisk you back to the age of the dinosaurs. Suddenly, you...

China's president will unveil a megaport in Peru, but locals say they're being left out

CHANCAY, Peru (AP) — On the edge of Peru’s coastal desert, a remote fishing town where a...

This 'morphing' wheel could allow wheelchairs to climb stairs

STORY: :: KIMMThis is not your average wheelchair.Researchers in South Korea have developed what they claim is...