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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhy Trump loves the US military - but it doesn't love him back
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/13/donald-trump-us-military-generals-west-point<snip>
Donald Trump attempted to solidify his bond with the US army on Saturday, delivering the graduation speech to cadets at the United States Military Academy and boasting of a colossal $2tn rebuilding of American martial might.
Trumps West Point speech was studiously vapid, with only a modicum of partisan boasting. But the political setting crackled with civil-military tension.
When all else fails and that has happened a lot the president has embraced the flag and hugged the military. But these days the military is not hugging back. It stands to attention as duty demands, but as inertly as Old Glory, the banner which Trump has taken to fondling at public events.
The president likes to refer to the soldiers around him as my generals and my military. The possessive pronoun always jarred with the spirit of civ-mil rectitude, even before it became evident how literally Trump interpreted it.
Saturdays ceremony at West Point was the embodiment of the presidents approach. More than a thousand cadets from the class of 2020 were called back from their homes to the campus, 50 miles north of New York City, despite the coronavirus pandemic, so Trump could give a televised speech.
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Why Trump loves the US military - but it doesn't love him back (Original Post)
malaise
Jun 2020
OP
'Old Glory, the banner which trump has taken to fondling at public events' - 'fondling'
empedocles
Jun 2020
#1
empedocles
(15,751 posts)1. 'Old Glory, the banner which trump has taken to fondling at public events' - 'fondling'
Creepy
SWBTATTReg
(22,112 posts)3. And people talk of disrespecting the flag, what is this when trump does his hugging and kissing of
the flag like he does? It's gross and to me, greatly disrespects the flag. Too many in our Country's history have died for the flag to be treated in this manner, especially by a gross, fat old incompetent fart like trump.
paleotn
(17,911 posts)2. Those not in active service anymore....
are speaking for many of those in active service, who by law, tradition and honor cannot speak out. We don't do military juntas in this country.
PCIntern
(25,532 posts)4. Depending upon what happens in the next
Few months, that may change