Letter to the editor: Disrespectful Trump is insult to veterans

Like many other Carlton County veterans, I take offense at the way some Republican leaders, especially Donald Trump, have disrespected veterans over the years.

John Kerry ran as a presidential candidate against George W. Bush 20 years ago. Kerry, a combat veteran who received several military honors, including three Purple Hearts, had his military service falsely discredited repeatedly by Republican “Swift Boat” ads, contributing to his defeat in the 2004 election.

In 2015, Donald Trump criticized John McCain’s military service in the Vietnam War and his years as a prisoner of war, which included being tortured. When McCain died in 2018, Trump had the White House flag lowered to half-staff for only 48 hours. After much criticism, the flag was lowered again until after McCain’s funeral.

A few years ago, according to “The Atlantic” magazine, Trump had privately referred to the American war dead as “losers” and “suckers.”

In 2018, Trump awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to billionaire Miriam Adelson.

Trump has claimed recently that this medal is “much better” than the Congressional Medal of Honor that’s awarded for exceptional military heroism. To denigrate the Medal of Honor is a face-slap to all veterans in Carlton County and elsewhere.

Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, has criticized Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz’s 24-year military career. Vance alleged that Walz dropped out of the National Guard when asked to go to Iraq. In fact, Walz had officially retired two months before his unit was ordered to deploy. Former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura, a former Navy Seal, called Vance’s criticism “despicable.”

Last week, the U.S. Army rebuked the Trump campaign for its inappropriate activities at Arlington National Cemetery.

Donald “Bone Spurs” Trump, who avoided the Vietnam War, JD Vance, and other Republican leaders claim to respect veterans, but their actions suggest otherwise.

Byron Kuster,

Moose Lake