In a speech today to the National Guard Association, Donald Trump lamented the “hatred” in this presidential campaign.
It’s an ironic claim from a man who has made offensive insults central to his presidential bid and public persona.
For years, Trump has engaged in bigoted and disrespectful rhetoric—and unbelievably, some of his targets have been our veterans and military. Trump has attacked Gold Star parents Khizr and Ghazala Khan, accused soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan of stealing and lied on national TV about raising money for veterans. Just last week, he said that our “military is depleted” and that our generals have been “reduced to rubble.”
It’s time for Trump to immediately retract his years of offensive, hateful remarks—and apologize to the servicemembers, veterans and and military families he has offended.
Insulted Gold Star parents Khizr and Ghazala Khan
Donald Trump responded to Gold Star father Khizr Khan’s speech to the DNCC by implying that Mr. Khan had forbidden his wife, Gold Star mother Ghazala Khan, from addressing the DNCC. “STEPHANOPOULOS: I don’t know if you saw the speech, but there’s man named Khizr Khan, speaking at the Democratic convention last night. His son, Captain Humayun Khan, was killed serving in Iraq, and he had some very tough questions for you. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) KHIZR KHAN, CAPT. HUMAYUN KHAN’S FATHER: Have you read the United States constitution? I will gladly lend you my copy. You have sacrificed nothing and no one. (END VIDEO CLIP) STEPHANOPOULOS: He said you wouldn’t have let his son in America. TRUMP: He doesn’t know — he doesn’t know that. I saw him. He was, you know, very emotional. And probably looked like — a nice guy to me. His wife, if you look at his wife, she was standing there. She had nothing to say. She probably — maybe she wasn’t allowed to have anything to say. You tell me, but plenty of people have written that. She was extremely quiet and looked like she had nothing to say. A lot of people have said that. And personally, I watched him. I wish him the best of luck, George.” [ABC News, 7/31/16]
Donald Trump issued a statement declaring that Mr. Khan “has no right to stand in front of millions of people and claim I have never read the Constitution.” “Captain Humayun Khan was a hero to our country and we should honor all who have made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our country safe. The real problem here are the radical Islamic terrorists who killed him, and the efforts of these radicals to enter our country to do us further harm. Given the state of the world today, we have to know everything about those looking to enter our country, and given the state of chaos in some of these countries, that is impossible. While I feel deeply for the loss of his son, Mr. Khan who has never met me, has no right to stand in front of millions of people and claim I have never read the Constitution, (which is false) and say many other inaccurate things. If I become President, I will make America safe again.” [Donald J. Trump for President, Press Release, 7/30/16]
Attacked retired Marine four-star General John Allen
Donald Trump called retired Marine General John Allen a “failed general,” after Allen gave a speech criticizing Trump at the DNCC. “They had a general named John Allen, and he– I never met him. And he got up and he started talking about Trump, Trump, Trump. Never met him. And you know who he is? He’s a failed general. He was the general fighting ISIS. I would say he hasn’t done so well. Not so well. And they had other people. What difference does it make?” [Donald Trump, Denver, CO, 7/29/16]
Donald Trump accused General Allen of “ranting and raving” about him at the DNCC and criticized Allen’s military record saying, “They were not so happy with him. He didn’t beat ISIS.” “STEPHANOPOULOS: You saw Hillary say it last night, you don’t know more than the generals. TRUMP: Well, I tell you, the generals aren’t doing so well right now. Now, I have a feeling it may be Obama’s fault. But if you look at ISIS, General MacArthur, and General Patton, they’re spinning in their graves. The generals certainly aren’t doing very well right now. And General Allen, after I saw he was on ranting and raving about me, who he never met, I checked up. Guess what? They were not so happy with him. He didn’t beat ISIS. He didn’t beat ISIS. He didn’t do well with ISIS.” [ABC News, 7/31/16]
Attacked retired Air Force four-star General and former Director of the CIA Michael Hayden
Donald Trump attacked retired Air Force General Michael Hayden after he said the military would refuse orders to torture, saying, the military has been a failure “under Michael Hayden and people such as this.” “STEPHANOPOULOS: Here’s my question, the former head of the CIA, General Michael Hayden has said the military would refuse to act if you ordered torture because they’re not required to follow orders that violate international law. How would President Trump respond if the military refused to follow your orders?” TRUMP: “I’ll tell you how good our military is doing under Michael Hayden and people such as this—we’ve been fighting wars in the middle east for 15 years, 18 years, we’re in for 4 or 5 trillion dollars. We don’t know what we’re doing, we don’t know who we’re fighting. We’re arming people that we want on our side—we don’t even know who they are. When they take over a country they’re worse than the people they depose. Give me a break. […] I’m a leader. I don’t think that would happen. They’re cutting off heads in the Middle East. They’re chopping off people’s heads in the Middle East and we’re afraid to waterboard. Give me a break. Gen. Douglas MacArthur and Gen. Patton are in their graves right now spinning in their graves. They don’t believe what they’re seeing.” [ABC News, 3/3/16]
Said he didn’t trust career intelligence officials and wouldn’t use them
Donald Trump, asked if he trusts U.S. intelligence, said, “Not so much from the people that have been doing it for our country.” REPORTER: “Do you trust intelligence?” TRUMP: “Not so much from the people that have been doing it for our country. I mean, look what’s happened over the last ten years. Look what’s happened over the years. It’s been catastrophic. In fact, I won’t use some of the people that are sort of your standards, you know, just use them, use them, very easy to use them, but I won’t use them because they’ve made such bad decisions.” [Fox News, 8/16/16]
Attacked former Secretary of Defense Bob Gates
Donald Trump on Bob Gates: “I’m not a big fan of his… Look at where our country is with years of him being involved. We are a mess…” BRZEZINSKI: “Donald, we had former Defense Secretary and CIA Director Robert Gates on the show yesterday. I’m going to play for you a bit of what he had to say. He had concerns about both candidates, you and Hillary Clinton. Take a listen.” […] BRZEZINSKI: “And Donald, I want to know what you think of those comments?” TRUMP: “Well, the comments are wrong, because he knows nothing about me. He knows nothing about what I said. I’m not a big fan of his, by the way, because you take a look at two things. Look at where our country is with years of him being involved. We are a mess, number one. I know he has a great reputation and all of that. All of these guys have a great reputation. They have been doing this stuff for 15 years. Look where our country is, OK? We need a new group with better thinking.” […] TRUMP: “And nobody says that. And Bob Gates, who I don’t know at all, but Bob Gates has no idea. See, they’re misrepresenting it, he’s misrepresenting it.” BRZEZINSKI: “So Bob Gates is one of the greatest foreign policy minds in history. And I think the worry…” TRUMP: “Oh, really, why? Because we’re doing so well? You mean, you think we’re doing well with his foreign policy, Mika?” [MSNBC, 5/20/16]
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Donald Trump on people like Bob Gates: “I know he has a great reputation and all of that. All of these guys have a great reputation. They have been doing this stuff for 15 years. Look where our country is, OK?” BRZEZINSKI: “Donald, we had former Defense Secretary and CIA Director Robert Gates on the show yesterday. I’m going to play for you a bit of what he had to say. He had concerns about both candidates, you and Hillary Clinton. Take a listen.” […] BRZEZINSKI: “And Donald, I want to know what you think of those comments?” TRUMP: “Well, the comments are wrong, because he knows nothing about me. He knows nothing about what I said. I’m not a big fan of his, by the way, because you take a look at two things. Look at where our country is with years of him being involved. We are a mess, number one. I know he has a great reputation and all of that. All of these guys have a great reputation. They have been doing this stuff for 15 years. Look where our country is, OK? We need a new group with better thinking.” […] TRUMP: “And nobody says that. And Bob Gates, who I don’t know at all, but Bob Gates has no idea. See, they’re misrepresenting it, he’s misrepresenting it.” BRZEZINSKI: “So Bob Gates is one of the greatest foreign policy minds in history. And I think the worry…” TRUMP: “Oh, really, why? Because we’re doing so well? You mean, you think we’re doing well with his foreign policy, Mika?” [MSNBC, 5/20/16]
Disparaged American soldiers who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan
Donald Trump accused US soldiers of stealing money in Iraq. “Remember this, when we got out we should have taken the oil. I’ll never forget some of the pundits–most of them they don’t have the brains they were born with–they said, ‘they’re talking about a sovereign country.’ Iraq! Crooked as hell. How about bringing baskets of money – millions and millions of dollars – and handing it out? I wanna know, who are the soldiers that had that job? Because I think they’re living very well right now, whoever they may be.” [Donald Trump, Greensboro, NC, 6/14/16]
Donald Trump accused US soldiers of stealing money in Afghanistan. “And maybe if you’re unpredictable, the stupid people are going to say, ‘Oh, well, he doesn’t know that much.’ You know, hey, when Obama said, ‘We’re leaving Iraq on a certain date,’ now you understand, these are ex-soldiers that comprised ISIS. These were guys that formed ISIS, these are tough cookies. They didn’t like us. And they didn’t really want to fight for Iraq because Iraq is a corrupt government, you know. Remember, when they were handing $50 million of cash, cash. They were going through Afghanistan paying off — I want to know who are the soldiers that are carrying cash of $50 million — cash. How stupid are we? I wouldn’t be surprised — if those soldiers, I wouldn’t be that surprised if the cash didn’t get there, I have to be honest. But, remember when Obama was saying, ‘We will leave. We are leaving Iraq as of a certain date.’ Now the opponents said, ‘Wow, that’s great.’” [Donald Trump, Keene, NH, 9/30/15]
Donald Trump: “Who is the soldier that carries satchels of 50 million dollars to take care of these people? […] I just wanna know who is the soldier. I guarantee you unless he’s really honest he’s really rich.” “I wanna know. Who is the soldier? Think of this, like maybe I have a couple of hundred bucks in my pocket. Right? Who is the soldier that carries satchels of 50 million dollars to take care of these people? 50 million! Have you heard this? 50 million. I just wanna know who is the soldier. I guarantee you unless he’s really honest he’s really rich. Okay.” [Donald Trump, CPAC 2014, 3/6/14]
Disrespected John McCain and American POWs
Donald Trump said John McCain was “not a war hero,” adding, “I like people that weren’t captured.” “LUNTZ: He is a war hero, he’s a war hero. TRUMP: He hit me — he’s not a war hero. LUNTZ: Five and a half years… TRUMP: He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured, OK? I hate to tell you. (CROSSTALK) TRUMP: He was a war hero because he was captured, OK? And I believe — perhaps he is a war hero, but right now, he said some very bad things about a lot of people. So what I said is John McCain, I disagree with him, that these people aren’t crazy. And very importantly, and I speak the truth, he graduated last in his class at Annapolis. So I said, nobody knows that. I said, he graduated last — or second to last, he graduated last in his class at Annapolis. And he was upset, I said, for what? For telling the truth? See, you’re not you’re supposed to say that somebody graduated last, or second to last in their class, because you’re supposed to be like Frank says, very nice. Folks, I want to make America great again. We want to get down to brass tacks.” [Donald Trump, Family Leadership Summit, 7/18/15]
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Donald Trump on whether he owed John McCain an apology: “No, not at all.” “Asked by ABC News whether he owes McCain an apology, Trump said: ‘No, not at all.’ ‘People that fought hard and weren’t captured and went through a lot, they get no credit. Nobody even talks about them. They’re like forgotten. And I think that’s a shame, if you want to know the truth,’ Trump said Sunday. ‘People that were not captured that went in and fought, nobody talks about them. Those are heroes also,’ he said.” [CNN, 7/18/15]
Compared his highly privileged life to the sacrifice of veterans
Donald Trump said that avoiding STDs in the 80s was his “personal Vietnam,” adding, “I feel like a great and very brave soldier.” DONALD TRUMP: “I’ve been so lucky … In terms of that whole world. HOWARD STERN: “You’ve never gotten a social disease.” TRUMP: “It is a dangerous world out there. It’s like Vietnam, sort of like, you know, Vietnam.” STERN: “It is. It is your personal Vietnam, isn’t it?” TRUMP: “It is my personal Vietnam.” STERN: “It is, you’ve said that many times.” TRUMP: “I feel like a great and very brave soldier.” STERN: “A lot of guys who went through Vietnam came out unscathed; a lot of guys who’ve gone through the eighties having sex with different women came out with AIDS and all kinds of things.” TRUMP: “This is better than Vietnam. It’s more fun.” STERN: “Every vagina is a landmine, haven’t we both said that in private?” [Buzzfeed, 2/16/16]
Donald Trump: “I always thought I was in the military. I felt like I was in the military in a true sense because I dealt with the people.” “But Trump also insisted that he had actually known military life. In a separate conversation he said, ‘I always thought I was in the military.’ He said that in prep school he received more military training than most actual soldiers did, and he had been required to live under the command of men such as Ted Dobias who had been real officers and soldiers. ‘I felt like I was in the military in a true sense,’ added Trump, ‘because I dealt with the people.’” [Michael D’Antonio: Never Enough: Donald Trump And The Pursuit Of Success, September 2015]
Donald Trump said that he “always felt like [he] was in the military” because he went to a boarding school that gave him “more training militarily than a lot of the guys that go into the military.” “Donald J. Trump, who received draft deferments through much of the Vietnam War, told the author of a coming biography that he nevertheless ‘always felt that I was in the military’ because of his education at a military-themed boarding school. Mr. Trump said his experience at the New York Military Academy, an expensive prep school where his parents had sent him to correct poor behavior, gave him ‘more training militarily than a lot of the guys that go into the military.’” [New York Times, 9/8/15]
Donald Trump on Gold Star father’s charge he hasn’t sacrificed for his country: “I’ve created thousands and thousands of jobs, tens of thousands of jobs, built great structures. I’ve done — I’ve had tremendous success.” “STEPHANOPOULOS: He said you have sacrificed nothing and no one. […] STEPHANOPOULOS: How would you answer that father? What sacrifice have you made for your country? TRUMP: I think I have made a lot of sacrifices. I’ve work very, very hard. I’ve created thousands and thousands of jobs, tens of thousands of jobs, built great structures. I’ve done — I’ve had tremendous success. STEPHANOPOULOS: Those are sacrifices? TRUMP: Oh, sure. I think they’re sacrifices. I think when I can employ thousands and thousands of people, take care of their education, take care of so many things. Even in the military, I mean, I was responsible along with a group of people for getting the Vietnam Memorial built in downtown Manhattan, which to this day people thank me for.” [ABC News, 7/31/16]
Lied on national TV about raising $6 million for veterans
Donald Trump claimed to have raised $6 million for veterans’ causes, including $1 million of his own money, at a televised fundraiser he organized in Des Moines on Jan. 28. “Almost four months after promising $1 million of his own money to veterans’ causes, Donald Trump moved to fulfill that pledge Monday evening — promising the entire sum to a single charity as he came under intense media scrutiny. Trump, now the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, organized a nationally televised fundraiser for veterans’ causes in Des Moines on Jan. 28. That night, Trump said he had raised $6 million, including the gift from his own pocket. ‘Donald Trump gave $1 million,’ he said then. As recently as last week, Trump’s campaign manager had insisted that the mogul had already given that money away. But that was false: Trump had not. In recent days, The Washington Post and other media outlets had pressed Trump and his campaign for details about how much the fundraiser had actually raised and whether Trump had given his portion.” [Washington Post, 5/24/16]
Donald Trump donated the $1 million of his own money he promised to a veterans’ group after being questioned about the donation by the media. “On Monday, a Post reporter used Twitter — Trump’s preferred social-media platform — to search publicly for any veterans groups that had received Trump’s money. By Monday afternoon, The Post had found none. But it seems to have caught the candidate’s attention. Later Monday evening, Trump called the home of James K. Kallstrom, a former FBI official who is chairman of the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation. The charity aids families of fallen Marines and federal law enforcement officers. Trump told Kallstrom that he would give the entire $1 million to the group, according to Kallstrom’s wife. Sue Kallstrom said she was not sure whether the money had been transferred yet.” [Washington Post, 5/24/16]
Donald Trump’s campaign later said the Des Moines fundraiser only raised $4.5 million. “Campaign manager Corey Lewandowski said the fundraiser actually netted about $4.5 million, or 75 percent of the total that Trump announced. Lewandowski blamed the shortfall on Trump’s own wealthy acquaintances. He said some of them had promised big donations that Trump was counting on when he said he had raised $6 million. But Lewandowski said those donors backed out and gave nothing.” [Washington Post, 5/21/16]
Urged New York City to displace veteran street vendors
Donald Trump: “While disabled veterans should be given every opportunity to earn a living, is it fair to do so to the detriment of the city as a whole or its tax paying citizens and businesses?” “‘While disabled veterans should be given every opportunity to earn a living, is it fair to do so to the detriment of the city as a whole or its tax paying citizens and businesses?’ Trump wrote in a 1991 letter to John Dearie, then-chairman of the state Assembly’s Committee on Cities. ‘Do we allow Fifth Ave., one of the world’s finest and most luxurious shopping districts, to be turned into an outdoor flea market, clogging and seriously downgrading the area?’ Trump demanded. New York’s original peddling exceptions for veterans date back to 1894 — created to give those disabled during the Civil War a chance to support themselves.” [Daily News, 8/3/15]
Donald Trump: “Whether they are veterans or not, they [the vendors] should not be allowed to sell on this most important and prestigious shopping street.” “Donald Trump blasted conditions on Fifth Avenue as ‘deplorable’ in a letter to Mayor Bloomberg complaining about street vendors who are ‘rapidly destroying’ the street’s ambience. The letter, addressed ‘Dear Michael,’ accuses vendors of pretending to be military veterans so they can peddle their wares on the high-rent street. Special regulations give veterans more leeway than other vendors. Trump said he inquired of one vendor – who displayed hats and shirts bearing Trump’s trademark phrase ‘You’re fired’ – which war he had fought in, but the vendor smiled and said, ‘Mr. Trump, I am too smart to fight in a war.’ But Trump favors no special peddling privileges for veterans, either. ‘Whether they are veterans or not, they [the vendors] should not be allowed to sell on this most important and prestigious shopping street,’ The Donald wrote.” [New York Post, 6/18/04]
Donald Trump on veteran vendors on Fifth Avenue: “I hope you can stop this very deplorable situation before it is too late.” “Trump said building owners and tenants are ‘forced to clean up all the discarded debris’ when the vendors leave – and the stores are ‘complaining bitterly.’ ‘Frankly, I have no idea how they can be doing business with the mess they have outside their front door,’ he wrote. ‘Fifth Avenue’s comeback is going to be a short one if this situation is not corrected immediately.’ Trump implored the mayor to act quickly or the city’s reputation will falter. ‘The image of New York City will suffer,’ Trump wrote. ‘I hope you can stop this very deplorable situation before it is too late.’” [New York Post, 6/18/04]