# Trump considers those who served in the military "losers" and "suckers" **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 4, 2020, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-considers-those-who-served-in-the-military-losers-and-suckers/919799 "2020-09-04T12:39:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-considers-those-who-served-in-the-military-losers-and-suckers/919799/61 "2020-09-04T20:46:51Z")
> [@Lantern2](#): > > To be honest some of that story pings my BS meter especially the line about the cemetery being full of losers. I am guessing the story is a somewhat exaggerated version of the truth. 1. Nobody present has yet denied the story. Especially Robert Kerry whose son’s grave they were standing over. 2. He’s on tape calling McCain a loser 3. You should know by now that Trump believes most of the crazy shit he says in public, and in fact doubles down on it in private. He really is that bad. He says these things and he means them. ---
**Author:** ![LoneRhino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lonerhino/32/1311_2.png) [@LoneRhino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LoneRhino)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-considers-those-who-served-in-the-military-losers-and-suckers/919799/62 "2020-09-04T20:52:07Z")
Poor choice of a word on my part. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-considers-those-who-served-in-the-military-losers-and-suckers/919799/63 "2020-09-04T21:16:01Z")
Oh, OK. ---
**Author:** ![Kyomara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8edcca/32.png) [@Kyomara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyomara)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-considers-those-who-served-in-the-military-losers-and-suckers/919799/65 "2020-09-04T21:23:01Z")
I think she’s just recapping the content of the article, not confirming her firsthand experience. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-considers-those-who-served-in-the-military-losers-and-suckers/919799/66 "2020-09-04T21:51:50Z")
An 8 minute video, an interview with the reporter. If you’d like to listen and judge his credibility for yourself: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2lRyVzHdtfo/maxresdefault.jpg "Journalist behind bombshell Trump report speaks out") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lRyVzHdtfo) ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-considers-those-who-served-in-the-military-losers-and-suckers/919799/67 "2020-09-04T22:14:03Z")
Nitpick, Stars and Stripes has been around since the Civil War. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-considers-those-who-served-in-the-military-losers-and-suckers/919799/68 "2020-09-04T22:20:37Z")
Oops, sorry. I’m sure the restoration of funding for the S&S is just Trump backpedaling furiously to try to lessen the impact of his reported statements. It gives me considerable pleasure to think that he is likely in stroke territory over this. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-considers-those-who-served-in-the-military-losers-and-suckers/919799/69 "2020-09-04T22:22:10Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > The really bad part is how it’s _ **at all** _ credible… Yeah, the bar is pretty low, ain’t it? On the bright side, I really cannot believe he has the slightest chance in Hell of being re-elected. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-considers-those-who-served-in-the-military-losers-and-suckers/919799/70 "2020-09-04T22:23:37Z")
The thing about Stars and Stripes is it’s just another example of Trump not caring about an American institution. None of it matters to him, and that includes America’s veterans. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-considers-those-who-served-in-the-military-losers-and-suckers/919799/71 "2020-09-04T22:24:27Z")
How will Trump’s idiot followers blame black people for this one? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-considers-those-who-served-in-the-military-losers-and-suckers/919799/72 "2020-09-04T22:26:09Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > How will Trump’s idiot followers blame black people for this one? - When there’s an idiot, there’s a way. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-considers-those-who-served-in-the-military-losers-and-suckers/919799/73 "2020-09-04T22:28:29Z")
> [@Lantern2](#): > > To be honest some of that story pings my BS meter especially the line about the cemetery being full of losers. I am guessing the story is a somewhat exaggerated version of the truth. After reading the book written by Trump’s niece, it actually makes perfect sense. According to her Fred Trump was a sociopath obsessed with strength and power, and denigrated anyone who was weak, causing Donald to develop a fake person obsessed with winning, money and power. It was a defense mechanism to deal with the pressure and abandonment issues (by comparison, Fred Trump jr became a dysfunctional alcoholic because of the stress). So yeah the idea of self sacrifice and ending up dead or disabled for a selfless cause would strike Trump as a total loser. Its actually perfectly in line with Trump’s psyche in my view. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-considers-those-who-served-in-the-military-losers-and-suckers/919799/74 "2020-09-04T22:29:22Z")
I hope it does, but there’s a certain exhaustion that comes over you after you hear yet another story about something stupid and horrible Trump said. What I think is more persuasive -especially in connection with this disrespectful speech- is Trump’s continued insistence that we adopt the foreign policy strategy of positioning the Armed Forces as a profit center and running it like something that’s a cross between a business and a protection racket - demanding that our allies pay cost plus 50% for the services of our military. > **[Trump Wants Allies to Pay Cost of U.S. Troops Abroad 'Plus 50%'](https://time.com/5548013/trump-allies-pay-cost-plus-50-troops/)** > > His insistence on it almost derailed recent talks with South Korea Now, considering the risk that our troops incur I would think this drastic change in the overall mission of the US Armed Forces might piss off officers and enlisted men alike. Forget the stuff about serving our country, that’s for chumps. But I wish they’d tie this in to the current story. That might have a bigger effect on military types than just the tales of disrespect alone. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-considers-those-who-served-in-the-military-losers-and-suckers/919799/75 "2020-09-04T22:32:19Z")
> [@Lantern2](#): > > To be honest some of that story pings my BS meter especially the line about the cemetery being full of losers. I am guessing the story is a somewhat exaggerated version of the truth. There were four anonymous sources. And the Atlantic article says that General Kelly declined to be interviewed. That means – he was not a source. This is reported: [I don’t get it. What was in it for them?" Trump was said to have asked retired Marine Corps Gen. John Kelly, who later became Trump’s chief of staff, as the two stood beside 1st Lt. Robert Kelly’s grave at Arlington National Cemetery in 2017](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/i-don-t-get-it-trump-questioned-why-retired-gen-john-kelly-s-son-gave-his-life-fighting-in-afghanistan-on-a-memorial-day-visit-to-his-grave/ar-BB18GIir?li=BBnbcA1). General Kelly certainly remembers what was said, or not said, at his son’s gravesite, well. If exaggerated, General Kelly will be telling us that shortly. If he does not, the conclusion to draw is that this is what Donald Trump says… ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-considers-those-who-served-in-the-military-losers-and-suckers/919799/76 "2020-09-04T22:53:14Z")
In Mary Trump’s book she described an episode wherein Donald senior threatened to disinherit Donald Junior if he joined the military. (Reported on the Rachel Maddow Show Sept 3.) In the same show Maddow reported Marla Maples pre-nup with Trump had a provision for Tiffany Trump to receive $100,000 per month child support unless she joined the military or Peace Corps. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-considers-those-who-served-in-the-military-losers-and-suckers/919799/77 "2020-09-04T23:01:09Z")
That’s so bizarre. In this country, the military is pretty much universally considered one of the highest callings that someone can aspire to, and it even seems to transcend economic status - I’ve known some people from rich families that voluntarily joined the military. Unless a family believes in a pacifist religion like the Quakers, it’s exceptionally unusual for them to have such antipathy towards military service. I guess it takes a really pretentious asshole to think that it’s “beneath” their children. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-considers-those-who-served-in-the-military-losers-and-suckers/919799/78 "2020-09-04T23:02:48Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > On the bright side, I really cannot believe he has the slightest chance in Hell of being re-elected. The part that should enrage you, or at least disappoint you about your fellow Americans is that he has a good chance of being “elected” with a minority of the votes again. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-considers-those-who-served-in-the-military-losers-and-suckers/919799/79 "2020-09-04T23:33:31Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > In this country, the military is pretty much universally considered one of the highest callings that someone can aspire to, and it even seems to transcend economic status - I’ve known some people from rich families that voluntarily joined the military. Well, not always. The military has certainly undergone increased status since 9/11, to the point of near-worship, which is disturbing. The military was popular while fighting WWI and WWII; afterwards, not so much. During Vietnam, people in the military were reviled by a segment of our population. During the 20+ years I served, public opinion went from that to mostly indifference. There were no homecoming celebrations by civilians, no priority boarding or deplaning, no free houses or cars or groceries. You were lucky to get a 10% discount at a furniture store near a military base. Civilians living near a lot of military bases often didn’t want us there. It’s a high calling when people want you to go and die for them, not so much otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2020, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-considers-those-who-served-in-the-military-losers-and-suckers/919799/80 "2020-09-05T00:02:08Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Civilians living near a lot of military bases often didn’t want us there. It’s a high calling when people want you to go and die for them, not so much otherwise. 'Twas [ever thus](https://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/tommy.html). _Then it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, 'ow’s yer soul?” But it’s “Thin red line of 'eroes” when the drums begin to roll, The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll, O it’s “Thin red line of 'eroes” when the drums begin to roll. … For it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Chuck him out, the brute!” But it’s “Saviour of 'is country” when the guns begin to shoot; An’ it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ anything you please; An’ Tommy ain’t a bloomin’ fool – you bet that Tommy sees!_ –R. Kipling ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2020, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-considers-those-who-served-in-the-military-losers-and-suckers/919799/81 "2020-09-05T00:05:09Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > That’s so bizarre. In this country, the military is pretty much universally considered one of the highest callings that someone can aspire to, and it even seems to transcend economic status - I’ve known some people from rich families that voluntarily joined the military. Unless a family believes in a pacifist religion like the Quakers, it’s exceptionally unusual for them to have such antipathy towards military service. I guess it takes a really pretentious asshole to think that it’s “beneath” their children. Maybe now after 9/11, but not during Vietnam. I think its partly because the military is seen as a form of self sacrifice, which was the total opposite of what Fred Trump and Donald Trump believed in. For them everything was about wealth, power, ego, reputation. The idea of putting your life and safety on the line to benefit other people would strike them as a totally foreign morality. I wonder if Trump has the same contempt for firemen or police that he does for the military. I have no idea but wouldn’t be surprised. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-considers-those-who-served-in-the-military-losers-and-suckers/919799.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-considers-those-who-served-in-the-military-losers-and-suckers/919799.md?page=5)