Donald Trump knows how to get under the skin of Democrats. It’s by simply creating policy proposals that are the antithesis of what they believe in.
And Trump’s newly announced plans as commander-in-chief spark fear in the eyes of the Left.
In a fiery campaign speech in Asheboro, NC, former President Donald Trump pledged to make sweeping changes to U.S. military leadership and policies if he returns to the White House.
Trump, 78, vowed to hold top officials accountable for the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan and promised to reinstate service members dismissed for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.
The former president’s visit to North Carolina marks his second appearance in the state within a week, and he used the platform to outline his national security agenda. Speaking from behind bulletproof glass, an added security measure mandated by the Department of Defense and Secret Service after a near-assassination attempt on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump addressed a wide range of topics, including Afghanistan, Ukraine, military recruitment, and what he referred to as “woke-ism” in the armed forces.
Trump Plans to Hold Those Accountable for Afghanistan Withdrawal Failure
Central to Trump’s speech was his harsh critique of the Biden administration’s handling of the U.S. exit from Afghanistan, which he labeled “the most humiliating event in the history of our country.”
Blaming both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for what he called a “catastrophic retreat,” Trump claimed that the failed withdrawal had opened the door for increased threats to America and its allies. “It’s been open season on America and our allies since the ‘Afghanistan disaster,’” Trump said, pointing to the instability that has followed the U.S. withdrawal.
Trump made it clear that, unlike Biden, who has yet to remove any officials over the debacle, he would demand accountability. “I will ask for the resignations of every single senior military official who touched the Afghanistan disaster,” he announced. “I want their resignations immediately.”
He went on to say that he expected to find those resignation letters on his desk in the Oval Office by the time he takes office again.
In addition to holding leadership accountable, Trump also criticized the administration for leaving behind military equipment in Afghanistan. He emphasized the staggering amount of gear, including “70,000 armored trucks” and “700,000 rifles and guns,” abandoned during the withdrawal.
“Afghanistan is now one of the largest arms merchants in the entire world,” Trump added. “All left by the Biden-Harris administration. Who bought all that stuff in the first place?”
The former president then shifted his focus to Vice President Kamala Harris, calling her the key figure in the disastrous decision-making process. “This calamity is on comrade Kamala Harris’ shoulders,” he declared. “She was the last person in the room with Biden when the two of them decided to pull out of Afghanistan.”
Audience member Craig Garner, a lineman from Asheboro, shared his thoughts on Trump’s military policies. “The military is very poorly equipped. I don’t think we are prepared at all,” Garner said, adding that he believes Trump would better manage military affairs. “Trump is going to do a better job with it. He says he is pro-military, and our son is a marine, so we are a military family also.”
Justice for Members of the U.S. Military Who Refused COVID Vaccine
Trump further promised to reinstate service members who were fired for refusing COVID-19 vaccinations, offering them “an apology and back pay.” The decision to fire these service members under Biden’s mandate led to 1,903 soldiers being discharged from the Army alone. Though the vaccine mandate was later lifted, those discharged were not compensated or officially apologized to.
In a broader promise to revitalize the armed forces, Trump vowed to launch the “largest peacetime recruitment drive in the history of the armed forces.” Under Biden’s leadership, the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard have all fallen short of their recruitment goals, something Trump attributed to a loss of morale and direction.
“There’s no spirit [in the military] now,” he said. “The sense of spirit, pride, and prestige will soon come roaring back and reach levels never seen before.” In typical Trump fashion, he ended with a bold proclamation: “We’re going to make it so hot – I’m going to want to resign and join the military.”
Trump’s rhetoric suggests that military reform will be a key focus of his campaign as he seeks to return to the presidency in 2024. His promises to hold military leaders accountable, reverse COVID-related dismissals, and reignite recruitment efforts highlight his strategy to appeal to veterans, military families, and voters concerned with national security.
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