Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran, took direct aim at President Trump’s multiple draft deferments to Vietnam, saying that his lack of service puts him in no position to question his critics’ support for the U.S. military.
The Illinois Democrat, who lost both legs when her Blackhawk helicopter was shot down in 2004, has been one of the Trump administration’s staunchest critics on national security and foreign policy.
Referring to the president as “Cadet Bone Spurs” on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Ms. Duckworth chastised Mr. Trump’s taunting rhetoric with North Korea’s leader.
“I have a message for ’Cadet Bone Spurs.’: If you cared about our military, you’d stop baiting King Jong-un into a war that could put 85,000 American troops and millions of innocent civilians in danger,” she said, referring to the medical condition Mr. Trump cited to defer military enlistment during the Vietnam War.
Ms. Duckworth repeatedly has accused Mr. Trump of being a “draft dodger” on the Senate floor and in public interviews.
Asked if Mr. Trump’s lack of military service disqualifies him from being commander in chief, she said: “I think he was elected rightfully to be president of the United States. But I don’t think that he has the right to question other people’s support for our military, especially those of us who have served.”
Her latest criticism of Mr. Trump’s lack of service in Vietnam comes days ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Tet Offensive.
North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces launched massive, coordinated attacks against U.S. positions across the country during the Vietnamese new year, known as Tet. The offensive was a resounding defeat militarily for the North Vietnamese, but it broke political support for the war in the U.S.
• Carlo Muñoz can be reached at cmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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