Trump angers with suggestion that vets with PTSD are weak
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a town hall with the Retired American Warriors today in Herndon, Va.
HERNDON, Virginia » Donald Trump is drawing scorn from veterans’ groups after he suggested that soldiers who suffer from mental health issues might not be as strong as those who don’t.
Trump was speaking at an event organized by the Retired American Warriors political action committee today when he was asked about his commitment to faith-based programs aimed at preventing suicides and helping soldiers suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury and other issues.
“When you talk about the mental health problems — when people come back from war and combat, and they see things that maybe a lot of the folks in this room have seen many times over, and you’re strong and you can handle it. But a lot of people can’t handle it,” he said.
“And they see horror stories. They see events that you couldn’t see in a movie, nobody would believe it,” he added.
The comment drew condemnation from critics as well as veterans’ groups that have been working for years to reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues in an effort to encourage soldiers to seek treatment.
David Maulsby, the executive director of the Texas-based PTSD Foundation of America, told The Associated Press that, at first, he hoped Trump’s remarks had been taken out of context. But after watching a recording of the exchange, he said the Republican nominee’s words were detrimental to veterans struggling with PTSD symptoms.
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“At the very least, it’s a very poor choice of words. PTSD is basically a rewiring of the brain as the result of trauma or prolonged trauma. That is not a reflection of a person’s strength, character, stamina — any of that,” Maulsby said.
“Our veterans who are struggling with post-traumatic stress as a result of their combat need to be encouraged to seek help, and not be told they are weak or deficient in character in any way, shape or form,” he said.
Zach Iscol, a Marine veteran and executive director of the nonprofit Headstrong Project, which helps provide free care for veterans suffering from PTSD, said Trump’s comments weren’t “just wrong, they’re dangerous.”
“The biggest barrier we have to people getting help is the stigma of getting help,” he said. “It just shows a complete misunderstanding of what post-traumatic stress disorder is.”
Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, a top Trump adviser, responded with a statement that accused the media of taking the GOP nominee’s words out of context “to deceive voters and veterans.”
Flynn said Trump has been highlighting the challenges veterans face when returning home and “has always respected the service and sacrifice of our military men and women.”
Trump has vowed to make improving veterans’ mental health services a top priority if he makes it to the White House.
Trump previously angered veterans when he suggested that Sen. John McCain, a former POW, was only considered a war hero because he was captured.
52 responses to “Trump angers with suggestion that vets with PTSD are weak”
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This is really sad. Dishonest Donald never served and never paid taxes to support the military or the vets.
Agree. Keep putting your foot in your mouth, Trump. This is a cake walk for Hillary. LOL. Is this the best the Republicans can do?!
Mr. Trump’s long known cowardice led him to fabricate a foot problem to avoid service in Vietnam. He’s a loathsome coward. He cannot recall exactly what that foot problem was, by the way. So much for his “world’s best memory.”
So now he’s criticizing brave men and women who were not cowards like he is, but actually served? Trump is obviously a psychotic.
Trump is SHAMELESS
Closed mouths don’t gather feet….
They must have left some of Trump’s words out of the story. I didn’t see anything offensive. Just another childish empty attack. I’m sure the old standard taking candy from babies story is soon to follow.
CEI, thank you for not changing the subject, for not talking about someone else’s emails or whatever.
But it isn’t just a childish empty attack. You know Donald says things like this all the time.
It says in the middle of the article that David Maulsby, executive director of the PTSD Foundation of America, hoped that it was taken out of context. So he watched the video and saw that Trump actually said those vets are weak.
Trump said it, just like he said John McCain isn’t a hero because he was caught and was a POW for 5 years!
Interviews with participants including the soldier who asked the question found the MSM drummed up negative stories such as this AP/SA a total fabrication….or in other words BS.
IRT CEI, fully agree with your post. When returning from Vietnam, was selected to take a survey in early ’70’s as an American Asian combat veteran in a study on Asian veterans in Vietnam. Post discussion with the researchers, we found among 300 questions, only one relating to the veterans religion and belief. We continued to stay in contact and found that all the Asian veterans with strong religious belief did not have any problems. The researchers did apply for a follow up survey to look at faith and the veteran. I understand they did not receive approval. Yes, as human beings, we as a group are part of a “Bell Curve” in life.
I couldn’t find any part of Mr. Trumps words that put down veterans. I guess democrats are getting very nervous on Mr. Trump’s gains in the electoral college.
And to add insult to more permanent injury, the Rs have lost the Asian vote maybe for generations to come.
LAS VEGAS — On paper at least, Asian-Americans seem like perfect Republicans. Many are small-business owners. Their communities tend to be more culturally conservative. And a lot of them, having fled oppressive Communist governments, found comfort in the Republican Party’s aggressive anti-Communist policies.
But in what could be a significant realignment of political allegiance, Asian-Americans are identifying as Democrats at a quicker pace than any other racial group. And many Republicans worry this election will only accelerate that trend, damaging their party for years to come with what is now the fastest-growing minority in the country.
The Republican presidential nominee, Donald J. Trump, is not helping. His attacks on the Chinese — which he has sometimes delivered in a crude, mocking accent — are a feature of his populist campaign. He has suggested cutting off immigration from the Philippines, citing fears that the longtime American ally poses the same national security threat as countries like Syria and Afghanistan.
Mr. Trump’s talk of deporting millions of undocumented immigrants has also stirred up painful memories among a group that has been singled out under American law before, whether by the Chinese Exclusion Act, which barred the immigration of Chinese laborers until 1943, or by the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II.
“It’s like we’re going back in time,” said Marc Matsuo of Las Vegas, who grew up in Hawaii with parents of Japanese ancestry and recalled how his family used to feel uncomfortable expressing their heritage, to the point they would not speak Japanese. He now helps register Asian-Americans to vote. “I was always brought up that you don’t talk about religion, you don’t talk about politics. Not anymore.”NYT
IRT Ike, LATimes/USC 10/4/2016 poll: White 56% Trump/31% Clinton: Black 11% Trump/80% Clinton: 32% Trump/55% Clinton: Asian 50% Trump/40% Clinton. CBS poll presented only White and Black voters and similar to LAT’s.
La Times is an outlier poll, and most networks never use it and their sampling is both flawed and biased.
IRT Ike,
Ike, the LATimes/USC poll is used by Real Clear Politics (RCP) for the daily average.
Is he trying to garner votes or not? He needs all the help he can get. Best he keeps his mouth shut.
Too bad staying quiet won’t work anymore – as if there was any chance of that in the first place. Tide has turned on this American nightmare.
Let’s see how Trump supporters move to defend him by contort themselves, reality and his words this time… every week it seems he cannot possibly say or do something worse and every week we are wrong.
David Maulsby, ~ after watching a recording of the exchange, he said “the Republican nominee’s words were detrimental to veterans struggling with PTSD symptoms”; along with Zach Iscol ~ Trump’s comments weren’t “just wrong, they’re dangerous”….To dah DJT surrogate Gen Flynn, I’ve got a backhoe you can borrow to dig a larger hole for your “draft dodging PAL”.
Trumps leitmotifs are of being unprepared and offensive have tired most quarters of American except those with an inclination for being unread, uneducated and/or bigots.
But he definitely does have the white supremacist, racist imbecile vote all wrapped up.
I’ll bet if you surveyed members of the military they would overwhelmingly pick Trump over a woman who couldn’t be bothered to provide security for the unlucky Benghazi victims and then lie repeatedly about the cause. Of course ” what difference at this point does it make” to paraphrase Waldo at the Benghazi hearings.
You obviously didn’t read the Gowdy Report. You consistently write untrue things that have been debunked by Republicans. You can keep lying if you want. Mr. Trump is losing. Badly. He’s done.
And no matter how many times you call Mrs. Clinton “Waldo” – over and over and over again, snd then over and over again, it’s fresh and funny every time! And so original and clever!
Hah! A lot you know. I use the name Waldo strictly as a term of endearment. I have the utmost respect and admiration for the old bag.
CEI- “Old bag?” No surprise that you hate women.
Mr. Trump is older, by the way. With a lot more baggage.
IRT CEI, the Army Times Sep 21,2016 military active duty poll had Trump 37.6; Johnston 36.5%; Clinton 16.3%; and Stein 1.2%.
The more you over educated elite talk down to the Trump supporters the more the common working folks jump on the Trump Train. Mahalo for helping to “Make America Great Again” http://acad.depauw.edu/aevans_web/HONR101-02/WebPages/Spring2006/Rooney(Jessica)/starwarsleitmotif.htm “leitmotifs” Who are you trying to impress? Looks more like a misspelled word.
It’s telling when people can’t speak to the issues and are intimidated by a word. Sarge it’s just a word, not need to worry, even though you don’t understand it or can use it, it won’t bite you.
Okay, I get it now. We’re doing tongue twisters. I’ll bet you can’t say wretched race or cockamamie cameos three times fast.
Frank Bruni of the NYT? Well, that changes everything. A thousand apologies, I never would have questioned you had I known. It’s not every day us dumbed down hicks get to rub elbows with journalistic royalty. I’ve never heard of him but if he you and he travel in the same circles I feel bad for both of you.
Ahhhh, Bruni has only been a finalist for the Pulitzer on several different occasions. I can only surmise that they don’t teach or encourage that sort of reading at the fictious university you obtained your degree…..
CEI – You’ve never heard of Frank Bruni? Are you an adult?
Ike doesn’t realize that a very minuscule percentage of the population has even heard of the word leitmotif. An even smaller percentage can use correctly in a sentence. Furthermore the word has a pretty narrow usage, definitely inappropriate if not incorrect to use in the manner that he did. He certainly shouldn’t use it when addressing the typical low information democrat audience.
Wrong. Here is award wining writer Frank Bruni, of the NYT, using it in a very similar fashion–In this wretched race there’s a leitmotif of cockamamie cameos from men who are stars no more–you can’t catch a break. Alas, the pitfalls of a simple person.
So you think that’s how people decide to vote for President?
That’s a really good argument why some people really shouldn’t vote.
This is the reason why the rich continue to have laws written to their advantage while the middle class and the poor continue to struggle. When you cheer for how Trump managed to game the system, you do not realize that in the end you will be the one picking up the tab. Yes, he was smart in gaming the system but it is YOU that got gamed.
He just gave Sec. Clinton more ammo to use against him on live tv in the nest two debates. I keep telling you Donald, you can’t insult your way into the Oval Office.
*next. (sorry…late night)
The donald, according to sources who have been very close to him say, he doesn’t care if he wins or (?). That’s why he’s just winging-it with whatever comes out of his mouth. The majority of Americans get it and laugh at this comedian.
As I stated earlier, he’s going to make sure he stashes a large sum of campaign funds away for his own benefit just as he has done over and over through decades. There’s no consciousness in this person; just a bad seed from HELL.
If all the groups he has insulted would vote for him–he’d win by a landslide!! He has to engage his brain before he opens his mouth—but, obviously he’s not a politician.
This AP/SA hitpiece is exactly that…hit piece.
Interviews today with participants including the soldier who asked the question found the MSM drummed up negative stories such as this hit piece a total fabrication….or in other words BS.
MSM is worried and rightfully so.
Where’s the more important story on Bubba calling Obamacare CRAZY?
Some people can handle stress better than others. Look at Secretary of State Clinton and President Obama and look what happened. Two gutless wonders.
LOL Dishonest Donald tweeting from the toilet at 3am about a Miss Universe is not a stable person. Each and every time you say anything you are talking about Dishonest Donald. You know what they say about doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.
Gutless? But it was Trump who fabricated a medical deferment to avoid the draft. A loathsome coward.
I’d say that’s gutless, no? He’s a coward who now beats his chest threatening to send other people’s children to war.
Another false headline from AP and the far left who eat it like candy. Marine veteran Staff Sergeant Chad Robichaux who asked the question Trump is responding too thought Trumps response was thoughtful and understanding of the many struggles veterans have. The sergeant went on to say the attacks on Trump to his question is “twisted” and “sickening”.
Associated Press can not be fair and objective. It’s un-American AP would use the veterans like a pawn surrounding by AP’s own lies.
It doesn’t matter what an audience member says. It matters what Trump said. It’s all on video. Watch it for yourself.
The story is accurate.
As John Warner said about the Chump ” loose lips sink ships” referring to a sign he saw at the marine boot camp during World War II.
AP will find a way to twist the story negative as in this case. Trumps enjoys support from most Vets. I believe in the opinion of this veteran, his question, and his feelings more than I do the AP’s version.
Then look at the video. It’s exactly as AP wrote.
What Trump said is a fact of life. If one hundred people witness the same horrific event, the majority may never forget it but will go on with life quite well on their own. However, some will become psychologically traumatized by it and will need professional help to cope. It happens in civilian life and it happens in the military, especially during warfare. As a 35-year Army veteran with combat experience in Korea and Vietnam, I found nothing offensive about Trump’s remarks. What offends me are people trying to make it into something that it is not.
Ronin006, mahalo for your service. I fully agree with your post. Listened to Mr. Trump words three times and, as you, found nothing offensive.
I’m a Viet-Nam VET 2 tours and I went thru PTSD because I was too WEAK to deal with it My self. Fortunately the American Legion and a Psychiatrist helped my. Trump has said nothing wrong in my mind. Just Clinton supporters whining.
female felon’s iyis are out in force competing to misuse the orange one’s words of understanding the problems of those afflicted with ptsd.
no one in the audience of military members misunderstood trump’s answer: he appreciates their service and understands that some have experienced unbelievable horror, over and over, and need ptsd treatment when rotating back into society at large.
the negativity in the female felon’s fluffer media is pandering to the iyis’ love of hate and prejudice in an attempt to turn trump’s message to the audience into political fodder.