Despite presenting himself as a champion of the U.S. military, and earning a majority of votes from veterans in all three of his campaigns for the White House according to polls, President Donald Trump has occasionally made controversial remarks about veterans, members of the military or America’s involvement in overseas conflicts. Some of these statements were made on camera or in front of reporters, but others come from anonymous sources. Trump himself never served in the military, receiving an exemption during the Vietnam War after being diagnosed with bone spurs in his heels.
The most incendiary report about Trump’s running commentary on the military was a September 3, 2020, investigation in The Atlantic by Jeffrey Goldberg, that included shocking second-hand reports about Trump’s conduct from former advisors, including retired general and former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly. Trump forcefully denied the veracity of Goldberg’s reporting. “It is a disgraceful situation by a magazine that’s a terrible magazine,” said Trump to reporters. The Atlantic stood by its reporting. “I wouldn’t publish anything that I didn’t feel was sourced to the highest degree possible,” said Goldberg in an interview with NPR.
On trans Americans serving in the US military
“Beyond the hormonal and surgical medical interventions involved, adoption of a gender identity inconsistent with an individual’s sex conflicts with a soldier’s commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one’s personal life. A man’s assertion that he is a woman, and his requirement that others honor this falsehood, is not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of a service member.” January 27, 2025.
On US military officials
“I don’t want to tell you what I had to go through with these people. Some of the dumbest people I’ve ever met in my life.” October 16, 2023.
“I wouldn’t go to war with you people. You’re a bunch of dopes and babies.” July 20, 2017.
“You fucking generals. Why can’t you be more like Hitler’s generals?” 2017. Trump denies having made this remark.
On the burial of US Army private Vanessa Guillén
“It doesn’t cost 60,000 bucks to bury a fucking Mexican!” December 4, 2020. Trump has denied having made the remark.
On the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who was a prisoner of war in Vietnam for five and a half years
“Obamacare is a catastrophe, nobody talks about it. You know, without John McCain, we would have had it done. But John McCain, for some reason, couldn’t get his arm up.” July 16, 2024.
“I was never a big fan of John McCain, disagreed with him on many things including ridiculous endless wars and the lack of success he had in dealing with the VA and our great Vets, but the lowering of our Nations American Flags, and the first class funeral he was given by our Country, had to be approved by me, as President, and I did so without hesitation or complaint. Quite the contrary, I felt it was well-deserved. I even sent Air Force One to bring his body, in casket, from Arizona to Washington. It was my honor to do so. Also, I never called John a loser and swear on whatever, or whoever, I was asked to swear on, that I never called our great fallen soldiers anything other than HEROES.” September 4, 2020.
“We’re not going to support that loser’s funeral.” August, 2018. Trump has denied having made this remark.
“He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured, okay? I hate to tell you.” July 18, 2015.
On lowering flags to half-mast after McCain’s death
“What the fuck are we doing that for? Guy was a fucking loser.” August 2018. Trump has denied making this remark.
On recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor
“It’s the equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor. But the civilian version, it’s actually much better because everyone that gets the Congressional Medal of Honor, they’re soldiers. They’re either in very bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets or they’re dead.” August 15th, 2024.
On not serving in the Vietnam War
“But, you know, during the Vietnam War, I got very lucky. I had a very high lottery number.” November 9, 1995.
On concocting a fake injury to avoid service in Vietnam
“You think I’m stupid? I wasn’t going to Vietnam.” 2016.
On how his sexual promiscuity makes him braver than any soldier who served in Vietnam
“Getting the Congressional Medal of Honor, in actuality … it’s Vietnam. It is very dangerous. So I’m very, very careful.” May 7, 1998.
On troops wounded in an Iranian retaliatory strike on a US airbase in Iraq
“I heard that they had headaches and a couple of other things. But I would say, and I can report, it is not very serious.” January 8, 2020.
On fallen soldiers at Aisne-Marne American Cemetery
“Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers.” November 11, 2018. Trump denies having made this remark.
On the 1,800 US Marines who died at Belleau Wood in France during World War I
“Suckers.” November 11, 2018. Trump denies having made this remark.
On US soldiers in World War I
“Who were the good guys in this war?” November 11, 2018. Trump denies having asked this question.
“I don’t get it. What was in it for them?” November 11, 2018. Trump denies having made this remark.
On disabled veterans
“Why do you bring people like that here? No one wants to see that, the wounded.” September 30, 2019.
“Look, I don’t want any wounded guys in the parade. This doesn’t look good for me.” Summer 2017.