Trump says he would've been 'honored' to serve in military, thinks he's making up for it now

[mystery-ak]

Trump says he would've been 'honored' to serve in military, thinks he's making up for it now
By Brett Samuels - 06/05/19 08:43 AM EDT

President Trump said in an interview broadcast Wednesday that he was "never a fan" of the Vietnam War, but that he would not have minded serving in the conflict that he avoided due to bone spurs.

Trump was asked in an interview with Piers Morgan on "Good Morning Britain" about his lack of military service as the president prepared to attend a ceremony commemorating the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

"I would not have minded that at all," Trump responded when asked if he wished he'd been able to serve his country.


"I would’ve been honored. But I think I make up for it right now... and I think I’m making up for it rapidly because we’re rebuilding our military at a level that it’s never seen before," he added, citing defense spending increases under his administration.

more
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/447025-trump-says-he-wouldve-been-honored-to-serve-in-military-thinks-hes

[edpc]

I think I’m making up for it rapidly because we’re rebuilding our military at a level that it’s never seen before," he added, citing defense spending increases under his administration.

Never seen before, except during WWII, Vietnam, and the 1980s.   

[txradioguy]

we’re rebuilding our military at a level that it’s never seen before," he added, citing defense spending increases under his administration.

WW II (1945) - 12,209,238

Vietnam (1969) - 3,460,162

Cold War (1987) - 2,174,217

Now (2019) - 1,281,900


https://historyinpieces.com/research/us-military-personnel-1954-2014

https://www.globalfirepower.com/active-military-manpower.asp


Military Budgets As A Share Of GDP:

WW II (1945) - 38%

Vietnam (1970) - 7.7%

Cold War (1988) - 5.7%

Present - 3.2%

https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS?end=1970&start=1969

https://thenumbersguru.blogspot.com/2008/10/defense-spending-as-percent-of-gdp-1940.html



 

[edpc]

@txradioguy

Do you happen to know the statistics in the years immediately following 9/11? I imagine there was a short term spike.

[txradioguy]

@txradioguy

Do you happen to know the statistics in the years immediately following 9/11? I imagine there was a short term spike.

@edpc

Biggest year post 9/11 was 2002.  1,434,377 total troop strength active duty.

Budget as a share of GDP hit 4.8 percent around that time as well.

https://historyinpieces.com/research/us-military-personnel-1954-2014

[Night Hides Not]

Trump says he would've been 'honored' to serve in military, thinks he's making up for it now
By Brett Samuels - 06/05/19 08:43 AM EDT

President Trump said in an interview broadcast Wednesday that he was "never a fan" of the Vietnam War, but that he would not have minded serving in the conflict that he avoided due to bone spurs.

Trump was asked in an interview with Piers Morgan on "Good Morning Britain" about his lack of military service as the president prepared to attend a ceremony commemorating the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

"I would not have minded that at all," Trump responded when asked if he wished he'd been able to serve his country.


"I would’ve been honored. But I think I make up for it right now... and I think I’m making up for it rapidly because we’re rebuilding our military at a level that it’s never seen before," he added, citing defense spending increases under his administration.

more
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/447025-trump-says-he-wouldve-been-honored-to-serve-in-military-thinks-hes

I'd hate to be a fact checker in the White House. I guess we're just going to have to let Trump be Trump.

[montanajoe]

"I would not have minded that at all," Trump responded when asked if he wished he'd been able to serve his country......."I would’ve been honored. But I think I make up for it right now...


Bullshit..

[Axeslinger]

"I would not have minded that at all," Trump responded when asked if he wished he'd been able to serve his country......."I would’ve been honored. But I think I make up for it right now...


Bullshit..

@montanajoe

I think my reputation here as not a fan of ol’ Trump is well established.

But, i do try to have intellectual honesty (if for no other reason than to rip on RiV and LA, who have none).  Trump is serving now and in the grand balance of things serving better than most of us thought he would.  He was spot on here...right up until the “making up for it now”...while probably true, that was better left unsaid.

[libertybele]

@montanajoe

I think my reputation here as not a fan of ol’ Trump is well established.

But, i do try to have intellectual honesty (if for no other reason than to rip on RiV and LA, who have none).  Trump is serving now and in the grand balance of things serving better than most of us thought he would.  He was spot on here...right up until the “making up for it now”...while probably true, that was better left unsaid.

He is serving this country as our President.  However, with the crisis at our southern border, I cannot honestly say that he is serving better than I thought he would. 

[Right_in_Virginia]

He is serving this country as our President.  However, with the crisis at our southern border, I cannot honestly say that he is serving better than I thought he would.

With Congress and the courts against every move the President has made to "fix" our southern border, what other steps would you have taken @libertybele

Bear in mind as you answer, the congress and courts will be against you, too.

[libertybele]

With Congress and the courts against every move the President has made to "fix" our southern border, what other steps would you have taken @libertybele

Bear in mind as you answer, the congress and courts will be against you, too.

I get what your'e saying.  I understand what he's up against. Declaring a moratorium on ALL migration into this country (it has been done before). Shutting down our southern border.  Deploying the military along the border and allowing them to fire upon the invaders.

Pres. Trump is commander in chief and head of the military.  Ultimately it IS his job to protect this country period.

[Absalom]

"I would not have minded that at all," Trump responded when asked if he wished he'd been able to serve his country......."I would’ve been honored. But I think I make up for it right now...


Bullshit..

--------------------------
You're much to kind to the genius in the stable,
a clown who would put Harpo Marx to shame!!!!

[catfish1957]

@montanajoe

I think my reputation here as not a fan of ol’ Trump is well established.

But, i do try to have intellectual honesty (if for no other reason than to rip on RiV and LA, who have none).  Trump is serving now and in the grand balance of things serving better than most of us thought he would.  He was spot on here...right up until the “making up for it now”...while probably true, that was better left unsaid.

My take on it is tad different.  I find the comment overwhelmingly disgusting.  It is well documented of his tactics for VN deferrment. "Making up for it" now in the comfortable confines of the Oval Office, considering so many served and didn't make it back, is to me..........    Disingenuous, and a slap to those who gave all.

p.s.   I've read that 38% of the population has bone spurs. 

[Idiot]

--------------------------
You're much to kind to the genius in the stable,
a clown who would put Harpo Marx to shame!!!!

Of course Hillary would have been so much better.  /S

[edpc]

Of course Hillary would have been so much better.  /S

Hey - at least she tried to become a Marine.   


https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2015/11/12/hillary-clintons-claim-that-she-tried-to-join-the-marines/?utm_term=.3c4cafb6ddcb

[Absalom]

Astounding how Trump's excuse mongers will say anything to shield him from criticism.
The D-Day assault shortened WW 2 significantly, thereby reducing casualties, forcing
Germany to actively rather than passively defend France and the Low Countries.
As such, our soldiers dead and alive, deserve both honor and remembrance in silence!
So what was our genius in the stable up to in Britain??? Why to focus attention on
himself w/more of his brain dead media interviews. What a surprise???

[Night Hides Not]

Just my opinion, but with millions of older men, one of their biggest regrets is they never served in the military. Sounds like that’s what we’re hearing from Trump.

[roamer_1]

"Making up for it" now [...] is to me..........    Disingenuous, and a slap to those who gave all.
 

That's damn well right.

[Absalom]

Regarding the Bone Spurs fandango, long ago the Trumps lived in Jamaica, NY.
While there, one of Fred Trump's tenants was a Podiatrist named Dr. Larry
Braunstein, whose daughter was his secretary/scheduler.
According to her, Donald Trump was a extremely frequent visitor to her father's
practice and had played both Golf and Tennis while at the NY Military Academy.
She indicated that his bone spurs diagnosis was written up as a favor to Fred.
The Donald insists that he would have been honored to serve in the military in 1968!

[bilo]

My take on it is tad different.  I find the comment overwhelmingly disgusting.  It is well documented of his tactics for VN deferrment. "Making up for it" now in the comfortable confines of the Oval Office, considering so many served and didn't make it back, is to me..........    Disingenuous, and a slap to those who gave all.

p.s.   I've read that 38% of the population has bone spurs.

I agree with you. He would have been much better off to just honor those that served, especially those that died in service of the country.

I think Trump has a genuine respect and love for those in the military, sometimes he just says too much.

[Restored]

It's easy to say "He should have gone to Vietnam" when I didn't go to Vietnam. I would have taken a deferment if I had been old enough to go.

[corbe]

   As a Veteran of the Vietnam Era I, too, find his statement preposterous but I am a long time sufferer of TDS which should exclude me from any entanglements this Guy and his mouth (or thumbs), get us into.

[aligncare]

It's easy to say "He should have gone to Vietnam" when I didn't go to Vietnam. I would have taken a deferment if I had been old enough to go.

I was of draft age in ‘69 and remember the nightly news stories in my junior and senior years of high school. Usually it was negative news about American casualties and losses in VN, and of turmoil and protest at home.

I participated in some of the demonstrations at my high school and on a few college campuses nearby. But, after graduation I joined the Air Force and within a year I was in Vietnam. My first night at Bien Hoa Air base we had incoming rocket fire hit a barracks. That got my attention.