‘There’s Something Broken in Donald Trump’: Charlie Sykes Tears Into Trump Over Arlington Cemetery Photo Op
Charlie Sykes appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe on Thursday to join the discussion on former President Donald Trump’s apparent campaign photo op at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday.
The event, which resulted in an altercation between a cemetery employee and two Trump officials, was not originally intended to be a photo op for the ex-president. Campaign-related activities are also prohibited at Arlington Cemetery, something that Trump and his team seemingly ignored. This prompted Sykes to write a column in The Atlantic, published Wednesday, entitled: “Trump Dishonors Fallen Soldier Again.”
Sykes talked about his column, but when asked by Morning Joe co-host Jonathan Lemire to elaborate more, Sykes had even harsher criticism for Trump:
Well, this is the great paradox of Donald Trump. His own record of non-service is, of course, well documented. But so is this long record of denigrating the service of others and his contempt. And yet he continues to wrap himself as the champion of the military. And many veterans seem to think that he is an ally of the military. But you walk through, you look at this picture that you’re showing, right now. I mean, there’s something deeply unnatural about this. Who poses posing with a thumbs-up in front of a grave of a fallen soldier? Who does that? Somebody who, frankly, just does not understand what this sacrifice means.
And you go back through, whether it’s the attack on John McCain for being a POW, or his suggestion at one point that he did not want the disabled veterans to be in an Independence Day military parade because it would make him look bad. Or his comments to his former chief of staff, retired General John Kelly, when they went to Arlington in 2017, and they’re standing next to John Kelly’s son Robert, who was a lieutenant, who was killed in Afghanistan. And Donald Trump said to General Kelly, “I don’t understand why they do this. What’s in it for them?” Or when he refused to go to the military cemetery in France, calling them “losers” and “suckers.”
And, you know, for people who have been around Donald Trump, this continues to be shocking that someone who is the commander-in-chief just does not seem, at some core of his being, does not seem to understand why people give their lives for their country. And again, you want to talk about cognitive dissonance, this is a man who wants to be thought of as “America First, USA,” the defender of American strength. And yet, when it comes down to it, time and again, whether it’s Gold Star families, whether it’s Medal of Honor winners, there’s something broken in Donald Trump that makes it impossible for him to understand that kind of sacrifice and heroism.
Watch the video above via MSNBC.
Have a tip for us? tips@mediaite.com
