Politics - News Analysis
Americans Disgusted After Learning Trump Wanted to Ban ‘Severely Wounded’ Veteran From Public Events: ‘No One Wants to See That’
This is bad, even for him.
According to a new article in The Atlantic, Donald Trump apparently didn’t think much of the intelligence or decision-making from the former generals he brought into his administration.
First we found out that he had no idea Guam was a territory of the United States (and has been for 125 years), even though John Kelly told him it was. Now we find out how little he thought of General Mark Milley’s decision to bring a wounded warrior to a public event.
Trump went to the ceremony — at a military base — during which Milley was installed as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This was in late 2019. As it was his ceremony, Milley was allowed to select who would sing the “God Bless America,” a high honor for any soldier.
Milley chose U.S. Army Capt. Luis Avila, a veteran with a rather storied history. From The Atlantic:
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“Avila, who had completed five combat tours, had lost a leg in an IED attack in Afghanistan, and had suffered two heart attacks, two strokes, and brain damage as a result of his injuries. To Milley, and to four-star generals across the Army, Avila and his wife, Claudia, represented the heroism, sacrifice, and dignity of wounded soldiers.”
It had been raining earlier in the day, and the grass had all but turned to mud. Avila’s wheelchair nearly tipped over, and his wife Hollyanne ran over to help. Vice President Mike Pence also hurried over to assist them.
This is when the disgusting bit comes in. Trump was reportedly angry that Avila had been there at all. He pulled Milley aside, and in close proximity to several witnesses, according to The Atlantic, told him he shouldn’t have come.
‘After Avila’s performance, Trump walked over to congratulate him, but then said to Milley, within earshot of several witnesses, ‘Why do you bring people like that here? No one wants to see that, the wounded. Never let Avila appear in public again.’
Now, I’m not sure where a guy who’s been photographed with his face in a bucket of KFC gets off telling a general not to honor one of his soldier because “it’s gross,” but of all people, leave it to Trump.
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