Senator Duckworth claps back at Trump the ‘draft dodger’ in epic speech during government shutdown
Senator Tammy Duckworth did not come to play with President Donald Trump when it came to his hypocrisy towards America’s military forces.
In the midst of a government shutdown, Duckworth, who lost both legs while serving in the Iraq War, came out swinging against Trump for suggesting that Democrats didn’t care about the military.
Lead, don’t blame
“This morning, Donald Trump tweeted that, and I quote, ‘Democrats are holding our military hostage in this shutdown,'” Duckworth said, according to CNN. “This is the latest in a string of comments where he accuses Democrats like me of not caring about our military. And it’s the latest example of him failing to show leadership, to take responsibility for leading this nation.”
“Does he even know that there are service members who are in harm’s way right now watching him? Looking for their commander-in-chief to show leadership rather than to try to deflect blame?” Duckworth continued. “Or that his own Pentagon says that the short-term funding plan that he seems intent on pushing is actually harmful to not just the military but to our national security?”
She went on to point to her own service, saying, “I spent my entire adult life looking out for the well-being, the training, the equipping of the troops for whom I was responsible. Sadly, this is something the current occupant of the Oval Office does not seem to care to do.”
Cadet Bone Spurs
This isn’t the first time Trump has come under fire for his treatment of the military. During the 2016 election, his lack of service came to the forefront of the debate, especially after he attacked John McCain for being a POW.
“I like people who weren’t captured,” he said at the time, proving that he has no problem attacking decorated vets.
In her speech, Senator Tammy Duckworth pointed out that Trump had ducked the draft instead of fighting for his country.
“And I will not be lectured about what our military needs by a five-deferment draft dodger,” she said.
Senator Tammy Duckworth even took a page out of Trump’s book and came up with a new name for the president.
“And I have a message for Cadet Bone Spurs: If you cared about our military, you’d stop baiting Kim Jong Un into a war that could put 85,000 American troops and millions of innocent civilians in danger.”
But unlike Trump, who name-calls and blames his opponents in a crisis, Democrats haven’t been idle. Senator Claire McCaskill put a measure introduced the resolution that would guarantee military pay in the event of a shutdown.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell immediately blocked that proposal.
