Republican ex-general slams Trump’s attacks on service members as 'absolutely disgraceful'

Retired brigadier general Don Bolduc, who was the Republican nominee for the 2022 US Senate race in New Hampshire, is blasting former President Donald Trump for his attacks on the military.

During a campaign event for former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, Bolduc assailed Trump for his repeated jabs at Haley's husband, Michael. who is currently deployed in the Horn of Africa with the South Carolina National Guard. The former president mocked Michael Haley for being "away" and "gone" and questioning his whereabouts during a rally last weekend, suggesting that "he knew" something without elaborating.

"The comments that President Trump made about Michael's service, knowing full well where Michael was, and trying to attribute that to some other characterization, is absolutely disgraceful," Bolduc said. "But we also know that's not the first time Donald Trump has done this."

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As Bolduc noted, Trump has taken numerous shots at members of the military throughout his political career. In 2018, the Atlantic reported on how, as president, Trump complained about having to stand in the rain at a ceremony honoring fallen service members in France, saying US soldiers who died in war were "losers" and "suckers." He also reportedly complained that the rain would ruin his hair.

Trump also insulted the Gold Star family of a dead Muslim service member, suggesting that the father was the only one spoke during an address at the Democratic National Convention because the soldier's mother was supposedly not allowed (the father stated that she was simply too aggrieved to speak about her son's death).

And as Sen. Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island) — who is a West Point graduate — noted, Trump has also attacked decorated veterans like the late Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) and former Secretary of Defense James Mattis, who was a four-star general before being appointed to oversee the Pentagon.

"Trump’s toxic brand of so-called leadership has done serious, lasting damage to the U.S. military. He has broken faith with our troops and sought to misuse the military for his own partisan agenda. He has taken money away from needed military projects and diverted it to his ineffective border wall. He seems intent on making it difficult for members of the U.S. military who are stationed overseas to exercise their right to vote," Reed stated on his website. “It will take years to repair the damage President Trump has inflicted on the United States military.

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Watch the video of Bolduc's remarks below, or by clicking this link.