The Joe Biden presidential campaign released a new one-minute campaign ad on D-Day highlighting 3 veterans who labeled former President Donald Trump a “draft dodger.” This week marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day, one of the most decisive and lionized military victories in the western world.
Veterans Speak Out Against Trump
In the Biden campaign spot, Marine Corps veteran Curtis Register, Army veteran Ed McCabe, and Navy veteran Matthew McLaughlin argued that Trump is unfit to serve as Commander in Chief.
Campaign Statement on the Video
The Biden campaign claims that the footage “highlights the stark contrast between Donald Trump, who criticizes veterans and has refused to take accountability or attend military funerals, and President Biden, who stands with our troops abroad and takes care of them at home.”
Statements from Veterans
In the clip, Marine Corp veteran Register says, “A good commander in chief is somebody who gives a s—.”
Navy Veteran Statement
Navy veteran McLaughlin chimed in, “Donald Trump has zero accountability in his life.”
Army Veteran Criticism
“He’s a draft dodger, simple as that,” said Army veteran McCabe.
Basis for Claims
The basis for the claims, according to the Biden campaign, is that Trump allegedly mocked veterans who died in France as “losers” and “suckers.” This claim was confirmed in the past by Trump’s former White House chief of staff, John Kelly.
Tammy Duckworth’s Remarks
Veteran and Senator Tammy Duckworth from Illinois stated of Trump, “From draft dodging to promising to take away veterans’ hard-earned benefits to repeating the rhetoric of dictators, it’s clear that Donald Trump doesn’t care about those who have bravely served our country. He doesn’t understand their sacrifice or the values they vowed to protect.”
Biden’s Address on the 80th Anniversary of D-Day
This year marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day, and President Biden made an official White House address from Normandy, France for the occasion.
Biden Draws Attention to Need for International Alliances, Not Isolationism
From France, Biden emphasized the need for America to continue investing in international alliances, especially in a time of global turmoil and in the face of a conservative push toward isolationist foreign policy.
Biden’s Interaction with Veterans
To put a finer point of contrast with the Democratic criticism of Trump on veteran issues, Biden spoke with veterans, including survivors of D-Day, calling them the “greatest generation” who “saved the world.”
Data Showing Veteran Support for Trump
While the Biden campaign video shows only 3 veterans critical of Trump, data suggests that veterans generally have a positive view of Trump’s past performance regarding military and veteran issues.
Pew Study from 2019
A large study by the Pew Research Center in 2019 found that a majority of veterans, 57 percent, approved of Trump’s performance as commander in chief. Nearly half of all veterans surveyed, 48 percent, stated that Trump’s policies while in office strengthened the U.S. military.
Veterans More Favorable to Trump than General Public
In addition to approving of Trump’s policies and actions in his past presidential administration, veterans are known to have a more positive assessment of Trump on military related issues than the general public.
