How does President Trump View Military Service?
During his first term, President Donald Trump appointed a notable number of decorated military generals to the highest levels of his administration, including White House Chief of Staff, National Security Advisor, and Secretary of Defense. Yet, from those same inner circles, a persistent and troubling narrative emerged—one that painted a picture of a Commander-in-Chief who privately held disdain for our men and women in uniform.
Multiple reports, most notably in The Atlantic, detailed a series of alleged remarks that suggest a deeply transactional view of military duty. According to these accounts, President Trump failed to comprehend the selfless sacrifice of service members, especially those wounded or killed in the line of duty.
The allegations claim he expressed a desire for military parades in his honor but made it known he did not want wounded veterans, particularly amputees, to participate, as their presence was not a "good look." Most jarringly, he is alleged to have referred to fallen American service members as "suckers" and "losers." Some observers suggest this reflects a stark worldview where surviving a battle unscathed makes one a winner, while being wounded or killed is a sign of failure.
The Canceled Visit to Aisne-Marne Cemetery
This narrative crystalized around a single event in November 2018. President Trump was in France to commemorate the end of World War I and was scheduled to visit the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, the final resting place for 2,289 U.S. Marines & Soldiers who fought and died in the pivotal Battle of Belleau Wood.
The White House abruptly canceled the visit, officially citing bad weather that grounded the presidential helicopter. However, multiple sources later reported the real reason was Trump's refusal to go, allegedly stating that the cemetery was "filled with losers" and that the fallen Marines were "suckers" for getting killed.
On-the-Record Confirmation
For years, the President vehemently denied these accounts, dismissing them as "fake news." That changed in October 2023.
General John Kelly, a retired four-star Marine general, a Gold Star father, and Trump's longest-serving White House Chief of Staff, went on the record in a statement to CNN. He confirmed he was a source for the original story and that the President had indeed made these and other disparaging remarks about service members, veterans, and their families.
A Stark Choice
This leaves Americans with a stark choice of who to believe.
On one side stands Donald Trump and his unwavering denials. On the other side stand his own handpicked senior military advisors—men like General John Kelly, General James Mattis, General H.R. McMaster, and General Mark Milley—whose accounts and testimonies paint a consistent picture.
If one places their faith entirely in the former President, it implies a coordinated effort by some of the nation's most respected military leaders to lie. If, however, one believes the decorated generals who served alongside him, it raises profound questions about the character and judgment of a man who serves as Commander-in-Chief of the United States Armed Forces.
