Trump calls military a 'mess' in glitchy July 4 address to veterans
Former President Donald Trump's Fourth of July zoom call to veterans featured boasts, exaggerations, glitches — and left one person in the crowd with her head in her hands, according to a new report.
Trump surprised a crowd gathered at Post 3282 Veterans of Foreign Wars in Florida with an eight-minute speech about how much he loved the military, but failed to honor a 103-year-old veteran as planned, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported.
"It was a receptive audience for the presumptive Republican nominee," the News-Journal reported, but added, "Not everyone was thrilled. At least one veteran held her head in her hands."
Trump appears to have made at least two calls to Veterans in Florida and Wisconsin from his private New Jersey golf club.
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According to the report, Trump claimed no one had supported the military more than he had, but also called it a "mess."
"We've done more than, I would say, any other president in terms of rebuilding it," said Trump. "It was a mess."
Trump also claimed "stupid people" had sent $85 billion worth of "brand-new military equipment" to Afghanistan in what the report dubbed a major exaggeration.
He suggested there was no need to be "rude" on Independence Day then proceeded to "brag" about his debate performance and attack President Joe Biden as "the worst president in the history of our country," according to the report.
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There were a few glitches, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.
Ernie Audino, district director for Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL), told the news outlet original plans had gone awry.
"The original plan was to honor 103-year-old post member Fred Laponzina, but that didn't happen until after the call ended," the report notes. "Audino also planned to make the call interactive, with veterans getting a chance to ask Trump a few questions. That didn't happen as Trump had to jump onto another call."
Earlier the same day, Trump's campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung called Biden a "disgusting human being" for referencing reports that the former president called veterans "suckers" and losers"