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The gist of Rep. Derrick Van Orden’s op-ed published earlier this month by Military.com is that former President Donald Trump has done much for U.S. military members and veterans, while President Joe Biden has been disrespectful.
That’s nonsense.
Any good that veterans received during Trump’s term in office came from others’ efforts and in spite of — not because of — Trump. Most people’s actions are prompted by what they think and feel. In Trump’s case, he has never felt or shown respect for the U.S. military or its veterans. He has thought only of how he could use them for his own purposes.
Lest nostalgia for Trump’s presidency obscure the facts, let me remind you of several:
- When running for president in January 2016, Trump skipped a Republican presidential debate for a “fundraiser” for veterans. Although he received roughly $5 million in donations and pledged an extra $1 million of his own cash, he sent the money to veterans’ charities months later only after investigative reporters revealed he had not donated the funds. Trump was fined $2 million by a judge for deceptive practices tied to the event.
- As president, he canceled a visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris in 2018….
