US President, Donald Trump has launched an unprecedented public attack against the leadership of the US military, accusing them of constructing wars to increase the profits of defense manufacturing companies.
Trump who has publicly professed his love for the military and has been supported by veterans and police, has now criticized the military leaders he appointed himself.
“I’m not saying the military’s in love with me — the soldiers are, the top people in the Pentagon probably aren’t because they want to do nothing but fight wars so that all of those wonderful companies that make the bombs and make the planes and make everything else stay happy,” Trump told reporters at a White House news conference on Tuesday, September 8.
Trump’s comments against the Military come after several defense officials tell CNN relations between the President and Pentagon leadership are becoming increasingly strained following a report that Trump made derogatory remarks about US military personnel and veterans.
The report, has been vehemently denied by White House officials who say it’s a plot by the Democrats to reduce his military fan base.
In the report made by The Atlantic magazine, Trump, during a November 2018 trip to France to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, allegedly referred to Marines buried at cemetery in France in crude terms.
During the trip, Trump cancelled a visit to the Aise-Marne American Cemetery, and at the time the White House blamed poor weather.
But four sources told The Atlantic that Trump allegedly rejected the idea of visiting because the rain would scatter his hair, and he did not believe the journey was important to honour America’s war dead.
Other outlets, including CNN, Fox News, have confirmed much of The Atlantic’s reporting, which Trump and the White House vehemently deny.
Speaking with reporters, Mr Trump denied the report, calling The Atlantic’s report “unthinkable”.
“To think that I would make statements negative to our military and our fallen heroes when nobody’s done what I’ve done with the budgets, with the military budgets, with getting pay raises for our military,” said the president. “It is a disgraceful situation by a magazine that’s a terrible magazine.”
