GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump told a campaign rally this week — in a video segment that was amplified by the Kamala Harris presidential campaign — that he thought it was a good idea to have football coaches and race car drivers “at the table” during military meetings.
“I’ve always said get some of these guys, I have a lot of friends in that world,” Trump said.
Referring to octogenarian racing champ and owner Roger Penske, whose team won its 20th Indianapolis 500 this year, and other drivers, Trump said, “Let me use these guys to guide our military a little bit.”
Trump followed that by saying: “Same thing with coaches, you take some of the greatest football coaches, you put them at the table, you say what do you like, coach? Because in its own way it’s not so much really different.”
Trump says he will fire America’s military generals and replace them with NASCAR drivers and football coaches pic.twitter.com/GC0olXwcpU
— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) July 24, 2024
NOTE: Former football coaches and the military have been a combustible combination in the recent past.
The most prominent former football coach in American politics is Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), who last year led a one-man campaign to bring a halt to all military promotions and the filling of open military positions largely to protest the Pentagon’s funding of travel for personnel seeking medical care, including abortions, in states where it is still permitted.
Tuberville was criticized by lawmakers from both major parties and major military figures during his 10-month blockade. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said at the time: “This sweeping hold is undermining America’s military readiness. It’s hindering our ability to retain our very best officers. And it’s upending the lives of far too many American military families.”
When Tuberville finally ended his campaign, The Federal News Network published an article entitled: Impacts of Tuberville’s military holds will be felt for years.
In the article, Tuberville was quoted saying: “I hated to do it. These people needed promotions. But somebody needs to wake up in the White House and the Pentagon that they cannot dictate policy here in the U.S. Senate. So I put a hold months ago on admirals, generals and civil nominees. A few months went by – a few months became 11, and we’ve had that hold ever since they put that policy in place.”