On Memorial Day, a day dedicated to honoring the men and women who died serving the country in the military, President Donald Trump took a moment to appreciate himself as well.

 

 

Other politicians – including former President Barack Obama – took to Twitter as well. However, their tweets acknowledged and thanked fallen soldiers, and stopped at that. Obama said in his tweet, “We can never truly repay the debt we owe our fallen heroes. But we can remember them, honor their sacrifice, and affirm in our own lives those enduring ideals of justice, equality, and opportunity for which generations of Americans have given that last full measure of devotion.”

Veterans group VoteVets called Trump’s self-congratulatory tweet “appalling” and “most inappropriate,” according to the Huffington Post. The group was also deeply unhappy with the Republican Party using the day to offer a 25 percent discount on all Trump campaign merchandise, tweeting “Use code REMEMBER at checkout.”

Later in the day, Trump laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and spoke at Arlington National Cemetery’s Memorial Amphitheater.

“Our fallen heroes have not only rewritten our history, they have shaped our destiny,” he said. “They inspired their communities and uplifted their country and provided the best example of courage, virtue and valor the world will ever know. They fought and bled and died so that America would forever remain safe and strong and free… They were all united then, as they are united now, forever, by their undying love of our great country.”

 

 

While Trump did not reiterate his earlier sentiments of dead soldiers being proud of him – even refraining from ending his speech with another “Nice!” – criticism for his tweet continued to roll in. Retired Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, who served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Obama, tweeted that “This day, of all days of the year, should not be about any one of us. No matter how prestigious or powerful, no matter how successful we perceive ourselves to be.”

Although the president may be more composed in his speeches, he has a notable history of going rogue on Twitter. This tweet is unsurprising, as it was recently revealed that Trump refuses to hand over his phone to allow White House staff to ensure its security has not been compromised.

Read more about:

Get the free uPolitics mobile app for the latest political news and videos

iPhone Android

Leave a comment