Dem Iraq War vets knock Trump
A pair of Democratic lawmakers who served in the Iraq War are slamming Donald Trump’s record on the military and veterans.
The criticism from allies of Democrat Hillary Clinton’s campaign is timed to correspond with Trump’s speech on reforming veterans care in Virginia Beach, Va., on Monday afternoon.
{mosads}Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) argued that Trump has done little to help veterans and that the businessman only followed through on promises to give money from a fundraiser to veterans groups after pressure from the media.
He also criticized Trump for likening his attendance at a military academy to serving in the armed forces and comparing his sex life to engaging in war.
“It really just blows my mind how he can be considered legitimate to become president of the United States,” said Gallego, who also blasted Trump’s “absolutely shameful” questioning of Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) status as a war hero.
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), who served four tours in Iraq as a Marines Corps infantry officer, slammed Trump over his comments last month questioning whether soldiers may have been responsible for reconstruction funds being lost during the Iraq War. An aide to Trump later said the candidate was referring to Iraqi soldiers.
“He attacked those of us who served in Iraq by broadly accusing soldiers of stealing reconstruction funds,” Moulton said. “We’ve become sadly accustomed to Donald Trump’s outrageous statements.”
Moulton also said it was “unbelievably insulting” for Trump to last week give a shout out to former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein by saying he was “so good” at killing terrorists.
Moulton said Hussein wasn’t good at anything other than being a dictator who gassed his own people and killed hundreds of Americans.
“He clearly doesn’t know anything about fighting terrorism,” said Moulton, who charged that Trump’s policies would “create more terrorists than they would destroy.”
Clinton’s campaign released a video ahead of Trump’s speech using his comments on Hussein and others to slam the businessman over his praise of “powerful and dangerous dictators.”
Trump’s speech Monday is expected to focus on his ideas on improving veterans care, including allowing veterans to seek government-funded private medical care, according to The Associated Press.