Trump railed about soldiers while standing over grave of John Kelly's son: ex-aide
Gen. John Kelly's comments about Donald Trump continue to echo through the political world, with 13 former Trump officials willing to verify some of the stories he revealed about the ex-president's treatment of soldiers and the military.
Among those is Kevin Carroll, a former senior counselor to John Kelly, who spoke to MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace on Friday. He relayed the moment when Trump railed against the military at Arlington National Cemetary, recalling running into Kelly after the fact.
"I remember that day very well, Nicolle. Memorial Day of 2017," Carroll recalled. "I had gone to Section 60 to decorate the graves of some fallen men, who I knew. And I saw the limousine leaving and John Kelly over the grave of his son," 1st Lt. Robert Michael Kelly, of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Read also: Why Trump was the worst boss ever — according to 12 of his top White House officials
While serving, Kelly became the highest-ranking military official to lose a child in combat. It was his only child, who had gone to Afghanistan in 2010.
"I went over with my own son, who was 5 at the time, and he was visibly upset, which is not usually the way he presents himself," Carroll said of Kelly. "And I asked what was wrong, and he shook his head no, and said he didn't want to talk about it. My son was perceptive enough to see if he was upset and asked if he would like to say a prayer."
He recalled his son taking Kelly's hand and saying some Hail Marys over the grave.
"After we got out of the administration I was talking to Gen. Kelly and trading stories about crazy stuff we had both seen. He mentioned that Trump had said over his son's grave, 'What was in it for him? What was in it for these men that they gave their lives for our country?'" Carroll continued.
"I said, 'Hey, sir, was that the time I saw you at Arlington and you were upset?'" he recalled asking. Kelly told him "That's exactly when it was."
Carroll called it "shocking and disgusting language" to come out of a commander-in-chief.
See the interview below or at the link here.
- YouTube youtu.be