Trump Avoids Visiting Troops In Harm’s Way, Talks To Them From His Country Club Instead

Trump sat in a chandeliered room with gold ceilings and read from a script before conversing with several of them on issues ranging from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to whether the United States was getting “ripped off” on trade agreements.

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And The Washington Post reported this week that Trump does not want to visit combat zones because he fears for his life.

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More recently, Trump has made a habit of attacking military veterans and families when they have criticized him.

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Two major accomplishments he boasts of — providing record-high budgets for the military and passing a law to let veterans see local private doctors — are false.

President Barack Obama approved a $721 billion defense budget in 2010 and one for $717 billion in 2011. Both were higher than the $716 billion budget Trump repeatedly brags about for this year — even before adjusting for inflation. And the Veterans Choice Program that Trump claims he passed was actually also passed under Obama, in 2014.

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In the days preceding the recent midterm elections, Trump deployed 5,000 active-duty troops to the border with Mexico to string up barbed wire against what he described as an “invasion” of Central American refugees seeking asylum. He also has not visited those troops, even though they remain separated from their families over the Thanksgiving holidays because of what critics have called a political stunt.

And after the elections, he skipped a visit to an American cemetery in France commemorating the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I because of rain and fog. Two days later, back in Washington on the observed Veterans Day holiday, he chose not to visit Arlington National Cemetery and remained at the White House tweeting instead.

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Greenbeard said:

What’s the deal here? Cowardice or just general disdain for the troops? His disinterest in visiting combat zones suggests the former, but his decision not to even visit the troops he pulled away from their families on a holiday for his border stunt suggests the latter. So, both?

Trump Avoids Visiting Troops In Harm’s Way, Talks To Them From His Country Club Instead

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Trump has spoken privately about his fears over risks to his own life, according to a former senior White House official, who has discussed the issue with the president and spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak candidly about Trump’s concerns.

“He’s never been interested in going,” the official said of Trump visiting troops in a combat zone, citing conversations with the president. “He’s afraid of those situations. He’s afraid people want to kill him.”

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Greenbeard said:

What’s the deal here? Cowardice or just general disdain for the troops? His disinterest in visiting combat zones suggests the former, but his decision not to even visit the troops he pulled away from their families on a holiday for his border stunt suggests the latter. So, both?

Trump Avoids Visiting Troops In Harm’s Way, Talks To Them From His Country Club Instead

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Skeptic Bob said:

I don’t think Trump has disdain for the troops. He is just apathetic toward them. They are good for feeding his ego and visiting them makes for some good press for his base.

I think he has put off going to combat zones because he is scared. He may eventually get over that fear and make a trip. He would need to do it before the 2020 election, though.

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Crosscheck said:

Good grief, if a president goes over to combat zone it isn't like he would have to pull up sentry duty some night.

Plus the amount of protection around him will be heavy. Someone else's son and daughter will be protecting him. You will never see a Trump in uniform because it is below them.

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Skeptic Bob said:

I don’t think Trump has disdain for the troops. He is just apathetic toward them. They are good for feeding his ego and visiting them makes for some good press for his base.

I think he has put off going to combat zones because he is scared. He may eventually get over that fear and make a trip. He would need to do it before the 2020 election, though.

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