Trump Derides Vindman For Wearing His Uniform During Testimony

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Donald Trump often attacks his perceived enemies. As the impeachment hearings continue, it seems the president decided to attack the witnesses as one of his best defenses against the Democrats who are holding them. That may have backfired when POTUS went after this honorable and heroic man.

Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman is a serving member of the military. The Army colonel proudly wore his uniform into the Capitol hearing Tuesday. There was a Purple Heart on his dress blues referencing being wounded in Fallujah, Iraq when an IED blew up the vehicle where he was riding.

POTUS released a video of his Cabinet meeting. This is what he said in front of reporters about the colonel’s choice of clothing, according to The Washington Post: 

‘I never saw the man, I understand now he wears his uniform when he goes in.’

Representative Chris Stewart (R-UT) went after Vindman’s uniform. The Utah representative started off easily. He mentioned that Vindman wore a suit rather than a uniform at the White House, and Stewart said:

‘[The uniform is a’ great reminder of your service.’

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Then, the representative commented about Vindman correcting House Minority Leader Representative Devin Nunes (R-CA), who addressed him as “Mr. Vindman.” The colonel said he wished to be called by his rank instead.

Stewart questioned Vindman more closely:

‘Do you always insist on civilians calling you by your rank?’

Vindman and his family have been threatened by Trump supporters to the point that he has a 24/7 protective detail. In fact, should he or any member of his family be under “imminent threat,” they would be relocated to an Army base for greater protection. An Army spokesperson said that it was:

‘[P]roviding supportive assistance to help Lt. Col. Vindman with the public attention.’

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Representative Dempsey noted that the Republicans’ in general and the public especially has had a view that the military has always been filled with conservatives:

‘It’s fascinating how quickly they will abandon anyone in uniform if they don’t fill preconceived notions of who you should support. There’s almost this knee-jerk, immediate reaction to undercut the validity of his service.’

Vindman responded to Stewart, noting he did not choose to be “marginalized:”

‘The attacks I’ve had in the press, [on] Twitter have kind of … marginalized me as a military officer.’

As the head Ukraine expert for the National Security Council, Vindman testified earlier in his testimony:

‘The uniform I wear today is of the U.S. Army.’

The Washington Post reported:

‘The Army’s bible for appearance standards, AR 670-1, says all personnel “will wear an Army uniform when on duty, unless granted an exception by the commander to wear civilian clothes.”’

Former Obama defense official and adviser to national security adviser Susan Rice, Loren DeJonge Schulman said:

‘Most reactions to it imply a choice where there is not one. Commentators are projecting their own feelings without understanding military regulations, a pretty frequent occurrence in civil-military relations.’

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The security and civil-military relations expert for the Center for a New American Security continued:

‘People are seeing what they want to see regarding the clothes Uncle Sam laid out for Vindman today.’

Vindman’s uniform proudly displays:

‘A Purple Heart, Ranger Tab, and Combat Infantry Badge’

Vindman also wore his uniform to the closed-door hearings. Active-duty members of the service typically wear their uniforms when they are testifying before Congress. When military officials assigned to the National Security Council go to a council meeting consisting of a number of other agency representatives, they often wear formal civilian clothing.

Featured image via Twitter. 

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