Trump tells veterans he will ‘stand up for America’

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — President Trump on Tuesday pledged he would “stand up for America” as he faces criticism for appearing too deferential to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“We don’t apologize for America anymore. We stand up for America. We stand up for the patriots who defend America,” Trump said at the Veterans of Foreign Wars national convention.

“And we stand up for our national anthem,” the president added, garnering a thundering ovation from a crowd of military veterans inside a roughly half-full Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City.

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Trump spoke for nearly an hour in remarks that began with a focus on the military and veterans, but occasionally hewed closer to his more heated rhetoric at campaign rallies. As the event progressed, the president touted his protectionist trade policies, hit Democrats for their criticism of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and took a jab at the press in attendance.

After running through a list of military equipment upgrades covered in the latest spending bills, Trump ratcheted up his rhetoric against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, labeling the terrorist organization a group of “blood-thirsty killers.”

“We’re calling the threat by its real name, the name that wasn’t mentioned for a long time,” Trump said. “It’s called radical Islamic terrorism.”

He briefly acknowledged his decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal, but did not address his all-caps tweet on Sunday in which he warned that the country could face extreme consequences for threatening the U.S.

Trump during his speech also made no mention of his efforts to make peace with Moscow. Upon landing in Kansas City, the president had sent a tweet saying he’s “concerned” that Russia may interfere in this year’s midterms in an effort to help Democrats. 

Trump has spent the past week enduring criticism for his meeting with Putin, in which the U.S. president cast doubt on the intelligence community’s conclusion that Russia interfered in the 2016 election.

He has since attempted to clarify those remarks and express confidence in his intelligence officials, but undermined those efforts when he said others could have meddled as well, and labeled Russian interference “a big hoax.”

During his address Tuesday, Trump touted other initiatives including reforms of the scandal-plagued Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). He praised newly minted VA Secretary Robert Wilkie, who was in attendance one day after being confirmed by the Senate.

Trump said a new VA whistleblower law allows the government to more easily get rid of employees accused of misconduct.

“We can look them in the eye and say you’re fired. Get out!” the president said to a round of applause.

Trump also touted his efforts to strike a nuclear agreement with North Korea, saying footage has emerged showing that Pyongyang has dismantled a key missile site.

The president added that remains of U.S. service members, another key point of negotiations with the country, would be coming home “very soon.” Trump has in the past suggested that process had already begun.

Though the event Tuesday was billed as an official, not a political, appearance, Trump also gave a boost to Missouri Republican Senate candidate Josh Hawley, who is running to unseat Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) in November. 

Trump invited the Missouri attorney general on stage, where he gave a glowing review of the president’s first 18 months in office.

Trump later veered into more traditional campaign rally territory, telling the veterans in attendance that Democrats are unsupportive of law enforcement and renewing his feud with Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), a vocal critic who has called for his impeachment.

“Instead of supporting our ICE officers, many of these Democrat politicians — who are really disciples of a very low IQ person, Maxine Waters, and perhaps even worse, Nancy Pelosi — they’ve launched vicious smears on the brave men and women who defend our community,” Trump said, referencing a small group of liberal Democrats who have called for ICE to be abolished.

The president also rejected criticisms of his decision to implement steep tariffs on Canada, Mexico, the European Union and China, even as those countries have slapped retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods that are detrimental to American workers.

While Trump’s protectionist trade policies have earned overwhelming condemnation from Republicans and Democrats alike, the president assured his supporters that the decision would pay off in the end.

“The farmers will be the biggest beneficiary. Watch. We’re opening up markets. You watch what’s going to happen,” he said

“Just stick with us. Don’t believe the crap you see from these people, the fake news,” he said, pointing at the press in attendance.

Moments after Trump concluded his speech and departed for a fundraiser, the Department of Agriculture announced it would provide $12 billion to farmers negatively affected by the trade war spurred by Trump’s tariffs.

– Brett Samuels contributed

Updated: 2:30 p.m.