President Donald Trump has always had a curious at best relationship with the military. He’s marked his past by going from avoiding the draft via questionable claims of bone spurs to insisting that those who did go to war like John McCain are made less by becoming prisoners of war.
None of that stopped him from hoping we’d all turn a blind eye for long enough for him to pretend to be remotely in his element as the president of the United States this Friday. It’s the anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that sparked American involvement in World War II, and Trump offered:
‘Today, we honor those who perished 77 years ago at Pearl Harbor, and we salute every veteran who served in World War II over the 4 years that followed that horrific attack. God Bless America!’
Today, we honor those who perished 77 years ago at Pearl Harbor, and we salute every veteran who served in World War II over the 4 years that followed that horrific attack. God Bless America! https://t.co/zbu4NLVr4G pic.twitter.com/5hbLDrqg40
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 7, 2018
The irony is that despite his repeated dust-ups with the military, in a very real and tangible way, Trump’s policies reflect what’s come to be understood as the worst elements of the World War II era. Although Americans fought overseas against the Nazis, they turned refugees fleeing the Nazi regime away at their shores — and many of them met their demise at the hand of the Nazi tyrants.
Sound familiar?
The Trump administration has come down hard on those fleeing violence in their home countries, pushing back, for instance, against asylum claims because of falsified racist concern about the immigrants turning into drags on American society. They’ve erased most concerns about gang and domestic violence from considerations allowing an asylum request to be approved and shown no sign of letting up their anti-immigrant campaign anytime soon.
In other words, Trump can keep his well wishes meant for Pearl Harbor Day.
Featured Image via YouTube screenshot
