Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg sat with Jenn Psaki on Sunday and was asked about Trump’s comments regarding Gen. Milley. It was the perfect opportunity for Buttigieg to tear into Trump for his lifelong pattern of dripping contempt for the military.
Sec. Buttigieg — an eight-year veteran of the military who served combat duty — held nothing back when pointing out one of Trump’s worst flaws, his disrespect for the “losers” who serve a cause other than themselves.
Trump did try to give himself the military’s highest honor by awarding himself the Medal of Honor but didn’t qualify.
Buttigieg’s response to the question about Gen. Milley could also be used to cover everything from Trump’s hatred of Milley, the military generally, Trump’s crimes (keeping top secret documents, coups), and even Trump’s personal relationships.
Buttigieg traced Trump’s comments on Milley back to a “lifelong pattern” that began when Trump got a fraudulent excuse to avoid serving in Vietnam.
As we’ve come to expect, Pete’s insight and eloquence is breathtaking:
Buttigieg, himself a military vet, calls out Trump’s history of disrespecting and attacking the American military. https://t.co/cgfUP7pfQm
— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) October 1, 2023
It’s just wonderful and so fitting. We have so many examples by which Trump demonstrated that he thought the military was beneath him and contemptible that it’s hard to limit oneself, but we can provide a few examples.
From a Military Times report:
“A new report details multiple instances of President Donald Trump making disparaging remarks about members of the U.S. military who have been captured or killed, including referring to the American war dead at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in France in 2018 as ‘losers’ and ‘suckers.'”
The above includes Trump’s deranged hatred for John McCain, seeing McCain as a “loser” for being captured in Vietnam.
Trump cannot fathom sacrificing anything when one has the option of just getting rich.
While visiting Arlington Cemetery with retired Marine General, former Homeland Security Sec. John Kelly, Trump demonstrates he doesn’t understand sacrifice for something bigger than oneself.
“When Trump and Kelly, who served as Secretary of Homeland Security before becoming the White House chief of staff, visited Arlington on Memorial Day in 2017, the two men stopped at Robert Kelly’s grave. Standing there, Trump reportedly turned to Kelly and said: “I don’t get it. What was in it for them?” Business Insider reported.
And the last example, the one that sticks in my brain, is Trump’s willingness to — for his own political purposes — pardon military crimes.
Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher had already been convicted of criminally taking a “trophy shot” selfie of him and an Afghan he had just killed by knifing them in the throat.
The military considered this a war crime and convicted him. Trump pardoned Gallagher.
The SEALs have a pin, the most prized in the military, the “Trident” — and only the SEALS determine who has the honor to wear the Trident.
Gallagher’s Trident was under review when Trump intervened, according to non-profit U.S. Navy Information:
“The Navy will NOT be taking away Warfighter and Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher’s Trident Pin. This case was handled very badly from the beginning. Get back to business!” wrote Trump.
“The message to the service follows news that Navy Special Warfare Command head Rear Adm. Collin Green had ordered a Trident Review Board to determine Gallagher and Lt. Jacob Portier’s fitness to serve as SEALs and wear the distinctive Trident warfare insignia.”
Trump’s contempt was never more self-evident, a U.S. President issuing a Tweet telling the people that sacrifice themselves for the country to get back to business?
Trump’s whims and political needs led him to overlook Navy tradition, SEAL tradition, self-autonomy, and the “honor” under which the military generally — and this service in particular — serve.
As happens so often, Sec. Pete Buttigieg had it nailed. Trump’s contempt for General Milley and the threat of execution at the hands of a rabid MAGA was nothing more than a regularly demonstrated lifelong pattern.
Trump finds the military beneath him because to him people that put their country ahead of themselves with their lives on the line are just suckers and losers. “Winners” spend their time amassing as much money as possible.
Hear Buttigieg's response to Trump's reported comments toward injured veteran
Mark Milley says former President Donald Trump instructed him not to bring wounded veterans to public events.
Only a traitor would support Trump https://t.co/1VHWVQF1Db— M.B. Mondegreen (@MondegreenM) September 24, 2023
I can be reached at jasonmiciak@gmail.com and on X @JasonMiciak.
Editor’s note: This is an opinion column that solely reflects the opinions of the author.
