John Kelly rejects Trump's comments that civilian award is 'much better' than Medal of Honor: 'Not even close'
Source: CNN Politics
Published 10:39 AM EDT, Mon August 19, 2024
CNN Former Trump chief of staff and retired Marine Gen. John Kelly rejected former President Donald Trumps comments that the Presidential Medal of Freedom that honors civilians was much better than the Medal of Honor given to service members, telling CNN that the two honors are Not even close. No equivalency of any kind.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is given for some good works done or in fewer cases for other considerations, but theyre not even close, Kelly said.
Think of Normandy, Iwo Jima, Vietnam or Fallujah, Kelly told CNN. The Medal of Honor is earned, not won, by incredibly brave actions on the battlefield under fire typically by very young men who joined when others did not to defend their country. Their oath to the nation is essentially the oath the president and members of Congress take, that federal judges take, that political appointees also take and includes
that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties
To the service member, the oath is sacred and taken with the understanding that one could be seriously wounded, captured or killed in living up to the words. No president, member of Congress, judge or political appointee and certainly no recipient of the Presidential Medal will ever be asked to give life or limb to protect the Constitution. The two awards cannot be compared in any way. Not even close.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/19/politics/john-kelly-donald-trump-medal-of-honor/index.html
Full headline: Exclusive: John Kelly rejects Trumps comments that civilian award is much better than Medal of Honor: Not even close
BoRaGard
(2,139 posts)And all the other republicon attacks on America's uniformed defenders and protectors.
I throw the entire G.O.P. into this lot of disgraceful, unAmerican weirdos,
because not one of them has said anything at all to defend America's war dead,
wounded veterans, grieving families, or those who sacrificed and were awarded
the Medal of Honor.
So sit down and shut up, lameass republicons. No honor.
AllaN01Bear
(22,322 posts)patphil
(6,736 posts)The Presidential Medal of Freedom, as given by Trump, is purchased with campaign contributions.
The former is invaluable, the latter is essentially worthless when given as a quid pro quo by a man who sees everything as transactional.
twodogsbarking
(11,631 posts)BlueWavePsych
(2,926 posts)C0RI0LANUS
(807 posts)C0RI0LANUS
(807 posts)this image of JD Vance you provided will travel far.
Your cartoon supports the sixth story here: https://coriolanus.page/
Thanks again and I'll see you at the polls.
C0RI0LANUS
LaMouffette
(2,199 posts)there is no way that Limbaugh or Trump or any of their kind would ever receive the Medal of Honor.
Zambero
(9,421 posts)Bankrupt from the get-go.
The Grand Illuminist
(1,600 posts)It killed the prestige of the medal entirely. Now I shame the people who receives it even if it was deserved.
TomCADem
(17,572 posts)In Trumps mind, he sees the Medal of Honor as a chore where he needs to get photographed next to people who have been maimed. In contrast, Trump can use the Medal of Freedom to encourage billionaires to support his campaign. I am sure billionaire Tim Mellon already has a display cabinet ready for his Medal of Freedom that he paid for with the millions has contributed toward the Trump and RFK campaigns.
C0RI0LANUS
(807 posts)wiggs
(7,988 posts)waiting till they can book Kelly themselves so he can roast Trump as an unpatriotic moron.
hibbing
(10,351 posts)The Grand Illuminist
(1,600 posts)A main reason MAGA is the major threat.
Marcuse
(7,862 posts)His only regret is that he has but one life to give for his country.
. as necessary.
LetMyPeopleVote
(151,829 posts)The fact that Donald Trump is publicly feuding with his own former White House chief of staff should probably be a bigger deal in the 2024 campaign.
Link to tweet
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/feud-john-kelly-rejects-donald-trump-medal-honor-election-2024-rcna167321
Former Trump chief of staff and retired Marine Gen. John Kelly rejected former President Donald Trumps comments that the Presidential Medal of Freedom that honors civilians was much better than the Medal of Honor given to service members, telling CNN that the two honors are Not even close. No equivalency of any kind. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is given for some good works done or in fewer cases for other considerations, but theyre not even close, Kelly said.
Think of Normandy, Iwo Jima, Vietnam or Fallujah, Kelly told CNN. The Medal of Honor is earned, not won, by incredibly brave actions on the battlefield under fire typically by very young men who joined when others did not to defend their country. Their oath to the nation is essentially the oath the president and members of Congress take, that federal judges take, that political appointees also take and includes ...that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties...
To the service member, the oath is sacred and taken with the understanding that one could be seriously wounded, captured or killed in living up to the words. No president, member of Congress, judge or political appointee and certainly no recipient of the Presidential Medal will ever be asked to give life or limb to protect the Constitution. The two awards cannot be compared in any way. Not even close.......
There was no great mystery as to the motivation for the offensive. After all, Kelly is the one who confirmed on the record that Trump really did denigrate American servicemembers as suckers and losers.
What can I add that has not already been said? Kelly told CNN in October 2023. Referring to his former boss, Kelly added, A person that thinks those who defend their country in uniform, or are shot down or seriously wounded in combat, or spend years being tortured as POWs are all suckers because there is nothing in it for them. A person that did not want to be seen in the presence of military amputees because it doesnt look good for me. A person who demonstrated open contempt for a Gold Star family for all Gold Star families on TV during the 2016 campaign, and rants that our most precious heroes who gave their lives in Americas defense are losers and wouldnt visit their graves in France.
A person who is not truthful regarding his position on the protection of unborn life, on women, on minorities, on evangelical Christians, on Jews, on working men and women, Kelly continued. A person that has no idea what America stands for and has no idea what America is all about. A person who cavalierly suggests that a selfless warrior who has served his country for 40 years in peacetime and war should lose his life for treason in expectation that someone will take action. A person who admires autocrats and murderous dictators. A person that has nothing but contempt for our democratic institutions, our Constitution, and the rule of law.
There is nothing more that can be said, Kelly concluded. God help us.