President Donald Trump has consistently failed to inspire any kind of systematic confidence in his leadership of the United States, especially amidst the Coronavirus crisis, but figures like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) continue to step in to help pick up the slack. This Monday, as Memorial Day began, she issued a message admonishing Americans to remember those who’ve lost their lives in service of the United States and insisted that an American commitment to caring for veterans would continue. The message contrasts dramatically with what Trump shared early Monday, which includes the all-caps message “HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!” as if the occasion was some kind of spectacle.
He can’t get even a Memorial Day greeting right. It’s a day dedicated to honoring and mourning the nation’s war dead. There’s nothing happy about it.
Among his other ample flaws, the guy is simply a dope. https://t.co/SEQaVEg0H4— Clyde Haberman (@ClydeHaberman) May 25, 2020
Pelosi commented:
‘Each #MemorialDay, all Americans unite in honoring the patriots who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. These brave men and women in uniform safeguarded our most cherished values and helped build a brighter future for all Americans. Today, our nation faces a challenge equal to any in our history. We reaffirm our commitment to caring for and supporting our military families, veterans, wounded warriors, active duty troops, as well as the National Guard & Reservists on the frontlines of this crisis.’
Today, our nation faces a challenge equal to any in our history. We reaffirm our commitment to caring for and supporting our military families, veterans, wounded warriors, active duty troops, as well as the National Guard & Reservists on the frontlines of this crisis.
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) May 25, 2020
It would be great if the same kind of commitment could be expected from the president of the United States, but lo and behold, with Trump in charge, it definitely can not. Besides his strangely glib Memorial Day acknowledgement, Trump also spent the morning on Twitter complaining about news coverage of the golfing that he’d done on Saturday and Sunday. And then, Trump left those awaiting his presence at a wreath-laying ceremony for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with an “unexplained delay” before the ceremony got started. In other words, he couldn’t even be bothered to show up on time.
Unexplained delay awaiting Pres Trump's arrival for wreath-laying at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. pic.twitter.com/4d9vZR3ENR
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) May 25, 2020
As Pelosi indicates, there’s another solemn situation at hand too — that of the Coronavirus. The U.S. seems likely to hit a total of 100,000 Coronavirus deaths on Monday or Tuesday.
Exactly how you'd expect this president to remember Americans who died in military service. https://t.co/94ClBdPIhj
— Mark Elliott (@markmobility) May 25, 2020
Check out Twitter’s response to Pelosi below: