Ex-Trump official has advice for Trump after Arlington incident

I'm joined tonight by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. National commander, retired army Captain Al Park, part captain. I want to say first, thank you for your service. And thank you for for joining us on this. Obviously, Donald Trump had every right to be at the cemetery with the Gold Star families who wanted him there. But in your view, do you think it's appropriate to to use an event like that one for, for political purposes, or do you think it crosses a line? Well, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, has been in existence for 125 years, and our, our 1.4 million members, I can assure you, would get, be, against anyone that tried to politicize. especially on that hallowed ground. But the fact that that family, or those families, invited, Mr. Trump to be there to show their respect for, the last full measure of devotion that those individuals gave, and to allow him to, photograph it or have it photographed is, that's a, that's a prerogative that, they had, and you get, I would not, presume to know the, the law that, is, is on the books about, holding a, a political event on, on the National Cemetery, but, I know that, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, when we were founded, the purposes fraternal, patriotic, historical, charitable and educational. And we, we respect and honor those that have, paid the ultimate price. You know, everybody that serves in uniform is do respect. Yeah, but those who have deployed. Well, that's what, that's what we're that's what we're for. And, yeah, I, I really can't that you'd have to take that up with the families on allowing that because I don't know what the lawyers. Well, yeah. And, you know, I looked into this earlier because I was curious. I've been to Arlington many times. I used to live in Washington and and would go there periodically. It's essentially saying, you know, not even blatant political, activities. It's just even the impression of it given. Of course, you know, you can't presume the politics or anything of any of those, those those people and those who gave their lives. I just want to ask, though, you know, Trump is the army is saying one thing, Trump is saying another. You served in the Army from 1965 to 1979. I mean, have you ever would you believe that anything they have they've said would be dishonest or not? Exactly. What happened? I live in the same country as Ukraine. And, around the same, people as you and, when I hear something, I hear it. If I get see it, I don't know, I, I can't believe everything that I hear. that's my way of saying that, yeah, I think there are people that will say anything. You know, this is just a shame that it's, This happened to be a political, a, the election season. I mean, to to for a former president. And there have been a number I know that President Obama and President Clinton, as well as a number of others, have been to the national Cemetery and done, what what, Mr. Trump did and that was to honor those, that, gave the ultimate sacrifice. But now, you know, to to say that he went, beyond that, I can't say, I didn't see it. The Army says it. I wasn't there. Yeah, they're saying a campaign staffer pushed someone aside, and and I should note your group is a political. And you're joining us here tonight. You know, after Trump said that the that the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is for civilians, it was much better to get in the Medal of Honor, obviously, which is for our military and people who often give their lives and their service here. You said those remarks were, quote, asinine. It was a remarkable moment because, you know, you're not a group that often and speaks out in moments like that. As I said, you're a political. Do you stand by those comments? Absolutely. But they were not directed at Mr. Trump. Those comments were anybody that would say that a Presidential Medal of Freedom is comparable or actually, more prestigious than the Medal of Honor? That's an asinine statement. And when you look in the dictionary to find the definition of asinine, it's just extraordinarily stupid. And that is an extraordinarily stupid remark for anybody to make that those who have, gone above and beyond the call of duty to sacrifice their life so others can live to say that it is not it should not be held in higher esteem than the Presidential Medal of Freedom is ludicrous. You know, the Presidential Medal of Freedom only takes one person to nominate you. That'd be the president. The Medal of Honor is not awarded by the president. It is presented by the president. The Medal of it is a congressional medal. That is, the people of the United States, the people of the United States. It's who awards or approves that that medal for those individuals. Yeah. And what a, it's. Yeah. Again, it's just not, but yeah, unfortunately, you know, some people again, it's a, it's a, an election season of people read into it. I don't take back on I don't take back my remark. It was an asinine thing to say. but it was not, he just he just happened to be the one that's was there when he when he said it. And that's what that's what the Veterans of Foreign Wars is for. I mean, we take care of veterans. Yeah. We want to make sure that the promises were made of the promises that are kept. And we we appreciate that so much. And your service, Captain Alpert, thank you for joining tonight. Kaitlan, thank you again. I'm humbled to be here. Thank you very much. More humbled, humbled to have you. Thank you very much. And Alyssa Farah Griffin is back here with me and obviously the captain. He's does not represent a political group. I mean, his comments about what Trump had said about that were remarkable. And it's also just a broader pattern of what this all fits in. What happened at Arlington Cemetery, the fact that they are in this argument with a staffer, the comments that he described as asinine about the Medal of Freedom in the Medal of Honor. And it's kind of twofold, Donald Trump's just never understood service and sacrifice as it applies to the US military. He himself didn't serve. He didn't try to learn it as he did, as he was in office, you know, asking questions about salaries that people made in the military or wondering why they'd go into service. And the other is when you make a mistake, just own it. I did a a bunch of visits to Arlington National Cemetery with Vice President Pence. There's protocols. There's policies, especially in section 60. You don't do photography, but if you make those, which is rock. In Afghanistan, the war, dead or buried? Yes. Still have family members. And and by the way, when you go, you will almost always see somebody mourning someone at a gravesite. It's an incredibly quiet, intimate place. And if those families asked for it and he took the picture, I don't know why he's smiling a thumbs up and then just own it. And don't let this be a weeks long story that really continues to fuel this fire, that you don't respect those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. But that's classic Trumpism. You just have to double down. You cannot admit fault in the way that his staff has handled is almost worse than the offense itself. In some ways, yes. Saying the staffer was having a mental. And mental breakdown. And by the way, all of this episode. Yes. And distracting from something very important, which there should be more scrutiny over the withdrawal from Afghanistan. That is an incredibly legitimate point for Donald Trump to highlight. That's not what's being talked about. It's him, you know, not not properly handling himself in a very, very sacred American spot.