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Trump launches unprecedented attack on top military leadership

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So much for mending fences with the military.

After a tempestuous few days when Donald Trump has been reeling from a report published in The Atlantic and later confirmed by several other distinguished news outlets that he showed disdain and contempt for the military and the concept of military service, Trump has made an unprecedented verb attack on the military’s top brass. CNN:

President Donald Trump launched an unprecedented public attack against the leadership of the US military on Monday, accusing them of waging wars to boost the profits of defense manufacturing companies.

“I’m not saying the military’s in love with me — the soldiers are, the top people in the Pentagon probably aren’t because they want to do nothing but fight wars so that all of those wonderful companies that make the bombs and make the planes and make everything else stay happy,” Trump told reporters at a White House news conference.

Trump’s extraordinary comments come as several defense officials tell CNN relations between the President and Pentagon leadership are becoming increasingly strained.

They also followed efforts by Trump to convince the public that he had not made a series of reported disparaging remarks about US military personnel and veterans, which were first reported by The Atlantic magazine.

A former senior administration official confirmed to CNN that Trump referred to fallen US service members at the Aisne-Marne cemetery in crude and derogatory terms during a November 2018 trip to France to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. Other outlets, including Fox News, have confirmed much of The Atlantic’s reporting, which Trump and the White House vehemently deny.

Some have expressed concern that the President’s Monday accusations against the military’s top brass could have a corrosive effect.

“The President’s comments about the motivations of military leaders not only demeans their service and that of those they lead; he lends credence to the very disdain and thoughtlessness he tries to deny,” retired US Navy Rear Admiral and CNN analyst John Kirby said.

The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment on Monday’s remarks.

There are several ironies here. One is that Republicans and Republican Presidents have usually enjoyed solid support from the military troops and leaders. A recent poll indicated troops would vote for Biden by 7 points. Plus, some analysts and Twitter users have been concerned Trump would use the military to try and stay in power if he loses. It would now seem that Trump isn’t exactly Mr. Popularity among the troops and, most likely, among some former and present military bigwigs.

But the biggest irony is: the Republican silence over his reportedly dissing “losers” (those who died for their country) and “suckers” (those who signed up for the military), and this broad-brush attack on the military.

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