In 2019, former U.S. President Donald Trump participated in a welcome ceremony that also included several war veterans. Now, General Mark Milley is speaking out against Trump's behavior, which he describes as "outrageous."
On the surface, it seemed like any other day in the life of an American president—participating in a ceremony, sharing smiles, and shaking hands with a wheelchair-bound veteran.
However, according to General Mark Milley, things were not that simple back in 2019. In an interview with The Atlantic, Milley reveals that Trump made a derogatory comment about the war veteran in the wheelchair.
General Mark Milley, who was appointed as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2019, was the highest-ranking officer in the U.S. military at the time. The ceremony was organized to welcome him, and then-President Donald Trump was also invited.
Captain Luis Avila, who was scheduled to sing "God Bless America," was also present. It was during this event that Trump allegedly made the derogatory comment.
According to Milley, Trump said, "Why do we have these people here? No one wants to see their injuries."
Luis Avila was severely injured during the war in Afghanistan and is now wheelchair-bound with a brain injury. Milley considers him a symbol of American heroism.
While other witnesses reportedly heard Trump's comment, it should be noted that only General Milley has spoken publicly about the alleged incident. The former president has not responded to the accusations, but the editor of The Atlantic has strongly criticized Trump's attitude toward soldiers as "superficial, emotionless, and deeply inhumane."
