Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), an Iraq War veteran who lost both legs while in combat overseas, sharply criticized former President Trump for recent comments downplaying the Medal of Honor.
“Donald Trump is despicable. He is unfit to be commander in chief. And certainly those comments are consistent with what he has always done. He thinks we are stupid and losers. And quite frankly, he is unfit to be commander in chief,” Duckworth, a Purple Heart recipient, said in an interview Sunday on ABC News’ “This Week.”
Duckworth drew a sharp contrast between the Republican field led by President Trump and Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) and the Democratic field led by Vice President Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz (D).
“American voters have a choice. Do they want a five-time draft dodger who disrespects our military and veterans, calls us idiots and losers and doesn’t want to be photographed with veterans who have lost limbs in various conflicts?” Duckworth said.
“Or are you going to run Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, who care deeply about veterans and has been a leader on many veterans issues, particularly the crematorium issue,” she continued.
The interview took place at an event Thursday attended by Republican megadonor Miriam Adelson and comes as the former president faces intense criticism for favorably comparing the civilian award to the Medal of Honor.
During his speech, President Trump referred to Adelson’s 2018 award of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, saying, “This is the highest award a civilian can receive. It’s the civilian equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor.”
“That’s actually a lot better, because every soldier who gets the Congressional Medal of Honor is either shot multiple times and in terrible shape or dead. And she gets it, and she’s a healthy, beautiful woman,” Trump said, laughing and drawing applause from the crowd. “They’re all equally valued.”
The video of Trump’s remarks sparked immediate reactions on social media, with Democrats and Harris quickly seizing on the remarks to attack the former president’s views on veterans and wounded Americans.
“Just as Trump has previously attacked Gold Star families, mocked prisoners of war and called those who have died serving our country ‘idiots’ and ‘losers,’ his insults to Medal of Honor recipients should remind all Americans that we owe it to our service members, our country and our future to ensure that Donald Trump can never again serve as Commander in Chief,” Harris campaign spokeswoman Sarafina Chitica said in a statement.
Brett Samuels assisted.
