WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Monday that top Defense Department leaders want to keep waging wars in order to keep defense contractors “happy.”
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Trump continues to fight allegations that he made offensive comments about fallen U.S. service-members, including calling World War I dead at an American military cemetery in France “losers” and “suckers” in 2018. The Atlantic first reported on the anonymously sourced allegations.
At a White House news conference Monday, Trump repeated his claim that the story was a “hoax” and said: “I’m not saying the military’s in love with me. The soldiers are.”
However, he added, “The top people in the Pentagon probably aren’t because they want to do nothing but fight wars so all of those wonderful companies that make the bombs and make the planes and make everything else stay happy.”
Trump’s relationship with military brass has been strained since he threatened this summer to use the Insurrection Act to provide troops for law enforcement during the protests after George Floyd’s death. Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has also expressed regret for walking with Trump through Lafayette Square in what turned out to be a photo op during the protests.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper, whom Trump appointed, was defense contractor Raytheon Co.’s chief Washington lobbyist before he became Army secretary in 2017.
dod,cia,fbi,nsa,etc are deep state. pres trump is fighting a losing battle but he is fighting!
The Covidiot in the WH says whatever he hears on Q-anon. Now he’s vs arms contractors? Last week he had another tantrum when BIBI objected to US arms dealers selling fighter jets to UAE. Trump said the US needed the ‘deal’ to help the contractors! More garbage from trump.
The Deep State is everywhere as is ANTIFA.
This is NOT “deep state”. The warning against the “Military-Industrial Complex” was issued by President Eisenhower (and HE knew what he was talking about since he was a career military man). It is well known that our military policy is driven by the Defense Industry. Trump is 100% right.
I truly believe that the majority of the people in our armed forces love America. I do not believe that they are to make money for corporations.
We are very lucky to have the women and men of the armed services to protect us.