Trump’s Comments on US Generals being reduced to “rubble”; his praise for Vladimir Putin should disqualify him from being Commander-in-Chief
Last night Donald Trump took his anti-American perspective on foreign policy to a new level by bashing America’s military command and praising Vladimir Putin. This is just another in a long line of comments by Donald Trump that call into question his fitness to be Commander-in-Chief.
“Minnesota Republicans need to say whether they agree with Donald Trump and his bizarre comments bashing our military and praising Vladimir Putin,” said DFL Chair Ken Martin. “This is no longer a joke. If elected, Donald Trump will be responsible for the safety of every American. Even Minnesota Republican Chair Keith Downey says that Trump is a ‘huge risk’ and it’s time know whether Erik Paulsen, Jason Lewis, Stewart Mills and the rest of Minnesota Republicans agree. After all, he’s their nominee. It’s time stop ducking and dodging and say once and for all where they stand on Donald Trump’s reckless national security agenda and his admiration for dictators.”
At the forum last night Trump said:
On Putin:
“If he says great things about me, I’m going to say great things about him. I’ve already said, he is really very much of a leader. I mean, you can say, oh, isn’t that a terrible thing — the man has very strong control over a country. Now, it’s a very different system, and I don’t happen to like the system. But certainly, in that system, he’s been a leader, far more than our president has been a leader.”
On the generals:
“I think under the leadership of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, the generals have been reduced to rubble. They have been reduced to a point where it’s embarrassing for our country.”
Last week Minnesota GOP Chair Keith Downey warned of a Trump “Imperial Presidency” and called it a “huge risk.”
Trump’s comments last night are just the latest in a long line of outrageous statements that betray his affinity for dictators and disdain for democratic values.
Previous examples of Trump’s bizarre foreign policy include:
Trump just called Tiananmen Square a ‘riot.’ The Communist Party will be pleased.
WASHINGTON POST // EMILY RAUHALA
In Thursday night’s GOP debate, Donald Trump called the protests in Tiananmen Square a “riot.” The comment was made in response to a question about his views on the 1989 student protests and the bloody crackdown that followed. [3/11/16]
CNN // JEREMY DIAMOND
Donald Trump on Tuesday once again expressed his preference for keeping dictators in power in the Middle East. While acknowledging that Saddam Hussein “was a bad guy,” Trump praised the former Iraqi dictator’s efficient killing of “terrorists” — despite the fact that Iraq was listed as a state sponsor of terrorism during Hussein’s time in power. [7/6/16]
TRUMP: You’ve got to give that ‘maniac’ in North Korea some credit
BUSINESS INSIDER // COLIN CAMPBELL
Real-estate mogul Donald Trump said on Saturday that North Korea’s supreme leader, Kim Jong Un, deserves “credit” for taking over his country at such a young age. “If you look at North Korea, this guy, I mean, he’s like a maniac, OK? And you’ve got to give him credit. How many young guys — he was like 26 or 25 when his father died — take over these tough generals,” Trump said in Ottumwa, Iowa. [1/9/16]
Donald Trump lavishes praise on ‘leader’ Putin
CNN // JEREMY DIAMOND
Donald Trump on Friday praised Vladimir Putin and appeared to defend the autocratic Russian president when pressed about his alleged killing of journalists and political opponents critical of his rule. One day after Putin called Trump a “bright and talented” and the “absolute leader of the presidential race,” the Republican presidential front-runner returned the compliments, hailing Putin as a “leader” and pointing to his high favorability numbers in Russia. [12/8/16]