Trump showed his true colors this past Veterans Day weekend. The president of the United States had time to meet with Vladimir Putin overseas, but didn’t have time to visit the Aisne-Marne American cemetery in France, the final resting place of 2,289 U.S. troops killed during World War I?
The White House said the cancellation was due to rain. I am retired military. I was an avionics technician on a CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter when I served in the Marines. Contrary to right-wing propaganda, every helicopter in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Coast Guard, can fly in the rain.
How is it that other world leaders except the United States of America managed to find a method of transportation to arrive and honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice during WWI? Walk me through this. Our commander in chief could not honor America’s fallen soldiers on Veterans Day because he was afraid of getting his orange toupee wet? Does anyone really believe the billionaire playboy could not find an umbrella? It wasn’t raining in Washington, D.C., when Trump returned from France. Why didn’t he visit Arlington National Cemetery? Trump has flown overseas several times during his presidency. Why has he never visited our troops?
Finally, Trump supporters who often use this platform to lecture readers about patriotism and honoring our flag, please start with the president of the United States, especially when he refuses to carry out the traditional duties of the commander in chief on Veterans Day and tells heroes like Sen. John McCain, a former POW and Navy pilot who was shot down in Vietnam, that he liked people who were not captured. Myself, I prefer presidents who don’t have five military deferments and aren’t afraid of a little rain.
Jose Luis Castellanos
Santa Maria
This article appears in Nov 22 – Dec 2, 2018.
He said he wanted more money for the military and promised that he would increase military pay. Instead Trump cancelled a 1.2% increase and has done nothing to help those who must receive social services assistance in numerous communities. So much for family values or honoring the military who protect us. Trump is a narcissist and psychopath who is limitless in his ability to divide and dishonor his office.