Donald Trump Uses Memorial Day Message To Brag About His Accomplishments, Slammed As ‘Gross, Inappropriate’
Donald Trump started off Memorial Day by bragging about his own accomplishments, and critics are now taking aim at the president for a post called “gross.”
In the message posted to Twitter early on Monday, Donald Trump imagined that U.S. service members who gave their lives in service to their country would have been proud of Trump’s accomplishments. As Talking Points Memo noted, Trump talked about the “best economy in decades” and low unemployment numbers for blacks and Hispanics.
The message did not go over well. Many attacked Trump for making the holiday about himself, including David Frum of The Atlantic who said it was the most inappropriate message in the history of Memorial Day.
“Many people question this president, but it’s no small achievement to write the grossest, most inappropriate, most self-flattering Memorial Day message in the history of the US presidency,” he wrote.
Critics have taken issue with Trump taking credit for the economy and unemployment numbers, with the positive trends starting under Barack Obama and changing little under Trump’s leadership. The unemployment numbers for black Americans also spiked early this year, the Washington Post noted, undercutting Trump’s argument that he was responsible for the drop.
Donald Trump has long been accused of taking solemn occasions to turn the focus back on himself. One of the most infamous was during the 2016 election when Trump responded to the Orlando nightclub shooting that left 50 people dead by bragging that he had predicted a terrorist attack would take place.
He has also been accused of failing to show the proper respect to national holidays. In February, Trump decided to go golfing on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, breaking a 20-year tradition of presidents using that day to take part in public service projects.
As CNN reported, he signed a federal proclamation days before the holiday praising King’s role in the Civil Rights Movement. But when the holiday itself came, Trump did nothing to commemorate it.
Happy Memorial Day! Those who died for our great country would be very happy and proud at how well our country is doing today. Best economy in decades, lowest unemployment numbers for Blacks and Hispanics EVER (& women in 18years), rebuilding our Military and so much more. Nice!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 28, 2018
While Donald Trump was blasted for what was seen as a self-serving Memorial Day message, other politicians took to Twitter to remember the sacrifices of service members who gave their lives. One of those came from Arizona Senator John McCain, who is facing terminal brain cancer.
McCain, who endured years of torture after being captured by the North Vietnamese during the Vietnam War, posted a photo of Arlington National Cemetery and called on Americans to remember those who gave their lives for their country.
Today we honor the Americans who sacrificed everything to secure the blessings of liberty. Family and friends to some, heroes to all – who lived, fought and died for the safety and future of a great and good nation. God bless them and grant them perpetual peace. #MemorialDay pic.twitter.com/OtdTAd3DS5
— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) May 28, 2018
Donald Trump also found time on Memorial Day weekend to hit the links, playing a round at his company’s golf course in Virginia on Sunday.
