Let’s remember that the original plan was for Agent Orange to spend 16 days in FL starting the weekend before Christmas. Somehow I really doubt there was any other plan in place for that time absent the latest developments that damaged his image with the wavering segments of his base.
I was wondering why he didn’t tweet at all for 20 hours between yesterday afternoon and today. It makes sense now - that’s probably enough time for AF1 to fly from DC to Iraq, spend three hours on the ground, and then fly back.
I imagine he has no idea how to get his phone to connect to AF1’s Wifi, and nobody wanted to show him how.
It’s a good reminder that 15 years after the US invaded Iraq, it’s still a combat zone.
Is Iraq still a combat zone, as far as U.S. troops are concerned? How much combat have they been involved in recently?
Looks like 11 hours 10 minutes to get there (12:06AM-11:16AM ET). Three hours on the ground means departure at 2PM so back in DC early morning Thursday.
https://publicpool.kinja.com/subject-pool-report-1-trump-in-iraq-1831325199
Trump posted a video to his Twitter account after leaving Iraq – and in doing so, he gave up the location and identities of SEAL Time Five members who are deployed on a covert special ops mission.
He really has a knack for always doing exactly the wrong thing.
If Barack and Michelle had done this, Fox News and congressional Republicans would have be OUTRAGED about a presidential vacation on the public dime.
Remember the scene in Tora! Tora! Tora! where LCDR Kramer showed the list of people authorized to see the “Magic” intercepts and later mentioned that he was happy the president was back on the list? When I first saw the movie, I thought that was ridiculous that the president could be removed from such a list. Silly me. Thanks for helping me learn something, Trump. Good grief.
During his three hour photo op, Trump:
Released classified information about Seal Team Five being in Iraq.
Lied that he gave the military their first raises in ten years. They get them every year.
Lied that the raises were 10%. They were 2.6%.
Got service members to sign his MAGA gear. Service members are forbidden by law from engaging in political activities while in uniform.
Criticized Democrats for not supporting his wall. Surely at least some of the service members there were Democrats?
Heh. I have no idea how true this story is but it could explain why today was Trump’s first ever visit to a combat zone:
New York Times: Daughters of foot doctor say he diagnosed Trump with bone spurs as ‘favor’ to Fred Trump
https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/26/politics/trump-bone-spurs-vietnam-war/index.html
I hope CNN doesn’t overplay this. Even if the story is true… so what? And if it turns out to be false, it’ll be Dan Rather and Bush letter all over again.
I’m of mixed feelings about this. I was just young enough to miss the draft in the Vietnam War, and I well remember all the protests and how righteous the draft dodgers were hailed as. So I hate it that Chump has now made draft-dodging that particular war dishonorable, or more dishonorable than it was considered back then, depending on your point of view. But dammit, he’s so hypocritically gung ho on the military now, so the fake bone spurs story rightfully has some teeth, so fuck him.
One Trump expert who has written a book was telling CNN the bit that swayed him into believing the story was the part that father Fred had asked for it as a favor. Said that was the hallmark of the Chump clan, dealing in favors. Even said he believed Chump himself might actually not have even been in on it, that it was all the father’s doing. Seems our orange president did actually have an exam by this doctor and may have believed him when the doc diagnosed bone spurs. The expert said Chump, in a personal interview with him, took off a shoe and sock, pointed to his heel and said, “See? See there?” Like he really believed there was something there. And he thought the expert saw it, because the expert said he just sort of nodded and said, “Um, uh-huh, well,” but couldn’t actually see anything himself.
Chump going to Iraq. Too little, too late. By this point, it was just checking off a box, that’s all. He was shamed into going, losing the visit loses a lot of merit. Plus he spent only, what? Three hours on the ground? And engaged in blatant politicking among the troops, which has always been a big no-no for any politician.
Fuck Chump.
Well, Trump’s base seems to be very pro-military. If in fact, he is a draft dodger, it just might erode some support, at least among those not shit-faced drunk on his Kool-Aid.
On the other hand, Trump’s insulted McCain, a Gold Star family, a Special Ops widow, etc without effect.
McCain was a POW, the Gold Star family is Muslim, the Special Forces widow is black.
Not Trump’s type.
If Trump’s base got whittled down to just 500 Americans, he would put all 500 on staff at government expense as his “presentation advisers”, i.e. the people sitting behind him at speeches and cheering.
MAGA!
Ironically, that Gold Star recipient was just honored by having a post office in Virginia named after him.