Jordan Ellis
Former President Donald Trump has visited wounded soldiers at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, on multiple occasions. Trump's visits to the hospital, which is just outside Washington, have drawn both praise and criticism. While some have hailed his meetings with wounded service members as powerful moments, others have criticized Trump for not visiting troops in active combat zones and for his disparaging comments about the intelligence of service members. Trump has also been criticized for breaking with the tradition of visiting troops and wounded warriors during the Christmas season in 2018.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Did Trump visit wounded soldiers in hospital? | Yes, Trump visited wounded soldiers at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in 2017 and 2020. |
| Reason for visits | To award Purple Heart medals, meet with sick and injured service members, and greet their families. |
| Trump's view of wounded soldiers | Trump has been criticized for disparaging wounded soldiers and veterans, calling them "losers" and "suckers." He has avoided visits and parades including wounded soldiers, expressing discomfort with amputees. |
| Trump's view of military service | Trump has not served in the military himself and has expressed cynicism about military service and heroism. He finds the idea of volunteering for service incomprehensible. |
| Comparison with other presidents | Trump became the first president since 2002 not to visit troops on or before Christmas in 2018. Previous presidents Bush and Obama visited troops annually during the holidays. |
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What You'll Learn
Trump visits wounded soldiers at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
In December 2017, President Donald Trump visited wounded soldiers at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, awarding a Purple Heart to an Army sergeant wounded in Afghanistan. Trump hailed the wounded service members as "some of the bravest people anywhere in the world". He also met with other sick and injured service members from all branches of the armed forces.
Trump was accompanied by his wife, Melania, and was due to meet with about a dozen other service members receiving care in the hospital. The award was given to Sgt. 1st Class Alvaro Barrientos, who was injured in mid-March in Afghanistan.
Trump's visit to Walter Reed in 2017 was one of two that year, with the other taking place in April. The visits raised questions about his health, with then-press secretary Stephanie Grisham telling the press that the President underwent a "quick exam and labs". However, several experts familiar with White House medical procedures stated that Trump could have undergone routine lab work at the White House's on-site clinic.
Trump's 2017 visit to Walter Reed was part of a long-running tradition of presidents visiting troops stationed around the world during Christmastime. Trump became the first president since 2002 not to visit military personnel on or before Christmas in 2018.
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Trump calls wounded soldiers losers and suckers
In 2020, The Atlantic reported that Donald Trump had referred to Americans who died in war as "losers" and "suckers". The article also claimed that Trump had repeatedly disparaged the intelligence of service members and asked that wounded veterans be excluded from military parades. These claims were supported by John Kelly, Trump's longest-serving chief of staff, who confirmed that Trump had indeed used such language to describe fallen soldiers. Kelly also revealed that Trump did not want to include military amputees at a White House military event in 2018, stating that their presence "doesn't look good for me".
Trump's lack of respect for the military and veterans has been widely criticised by active and retired US soldiers. Many soldiers have expressed their disappointment and disgust at Trump's attitude towards the military, with some describing his birthday parade as an "ego trip" and an embarrassment. They have also accused Trump of using soldiers for self-promotion and vanity, rather than genuinely respecting and honouring their service.
Trump's disdain for the military is in stark contrast to his visits to wounded soldiers in hospitals. In 2017, Trump visited service members at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and awarded a Purple Heart to an Army sergeant wounded in Afghanistan. However, Trump's visits to hospitals and military cemeteries have been few and far between during his presidency. In 2018, he cancelled a visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris, blaming the weather, but it was later revealed that he did not want to go because he feared his hair would become disheveled in the rain and because he did not see the importance of honouring the American war dead.
Trump's actions and words towards the military and wounded soldiers have caused widespread outrage and disappointment. While he has made some efforts to publicly honour service members, his overall attitude is perceived as disrespectful and contemptuous towards those who have served and sacrificed for their country.
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Trump's avoidance of visiting troops at Christmas
In December 2018, Donald Trump became the first president since 2002 not to visit troops at Christmastime. While he did call military personnel on Christmas Day, he did not visit a hospital or military base. Trump's predecessors, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, had visited troops on or before Christmas every year since 2003. Trump had visited troops at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in 2017, but he did not do so in 2018. On December 26, 2018, Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, made an unannounced visit to troops in Iraq.
Trump has also been criticized for not visiting troops in active combat zones and for skipping traditional visits to military cemeteries and memorials, such as the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris in 2018 and the Veterans Day visit to Arlington National Cemetery in 2018. Trump has offered various excuses for these cancellations, including weather and a busy schedule, but his decisions have been seen by some as a lack of respect for American service members and war dead.
Trump has made several visits to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to meet with wounded troops and bestow Purple Hearts, including in 2017 and 2019. However, his visits to Walter Reed have also raised questions about his health and have been described as abnormal or outside of the protocol for routine visits. Overall, Trump's approach to visiting troops and honoring military service has been a subject of controversy during his presidency.
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Trump's cancellation of a trip to an American military cemetery
In 2018, then-US President Donald Trump cancelled a trip to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, an American military burial ground outside Paris, France. Trump blamed the cancellation on the weather, stating that "the helicopter couldn’t fly" and that the Secret Service wouldn't drive him there. However, these claims were refuted, and it was reported that Trump cancelled the visit because he was concerned about his hair being disheveled in the rain, and because he did not see value in honouring American war dead. This incident sparked criticism, with some accusing Trump of disrespecting the memory of fallen soldiers and questioning his understanding of military service and heroism.
Trump's cancellation of the trip to the American military cemetery was not an isolated event. He has been criticised for not visiting troops in active combat zones and for skipping traditional visits to military cemeteries, such as the Veterans Day visit to Arlington National Cemetery. Trump has also been accused of having a disparaging view of service members, requesting that wounded veterans be excluded from military parades and referring to Americans who died in war as "losers" and "suckers".
On the other hand, there have been instances where Trump did visit wounded soldiers in hospitals. In 2017, Trump visited Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on two occasions to meet with wounded troops and bestowed Purple Heart medals to wounded service members. He also made an unannounced visit to troops in Iraq during the 2018 Christmas season, breaking the recent tradition of visiting troops before Christmas.
Trump's visits to hospitals and interactions with wounded soldiers have been a mix of in-person visits and phone calls. While he did visit Walter Reed and meet with wounded troops, he was also criticised for not visiting a hospital or military base during the 2018 Christmas season until his unannounced trip to Iraq. Trump has a complex relationship with the military and veterans, and his actions as president have been a blend of traditional engagements and controversial decisions.
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Trump's presentation of Purple Heart medals to wounded soldiers
On Saturday, April 22, 2017, President Donald Trump awarded a Purple Heart to a US Army sergeant wounded in Afghanistan during his first visit to a military hospital. Sgt. First Class Alvaro Barrientos, who had his right leg amputated below the knee after an Afghan soldier opened fire at a base in Helmand province, Afghanistan, was presented with the medal by Trump during a brief ceremony at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Barrientos entered the atrium in a wheelchair, accompanied by his wife, whom Trump kissed on the cheek before pinning the medal on the sergeant’s left shirt collar.
Trump had previously received a Purple Heart medal from an Iraq War veteran during his campaign in August. The then-candidate accepted the medal, stating, "That's like big stuff. I always wanted to get the Purple Heart. This was much easier." Trump's acceptance of the medal sparked controversy, with some criticising it as an "act of stolen valor."
During his presidency, Trump has been accused of disparaging the intelligence of service members and expressing cynicism about military service and heroism. He has been fixated on staging military parades but requested that wounded veterans be excluded, stating that "nobody wants to see that." Trump has also been criticised for cancelling a visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris in 2018, citing rain as the reason, when in fact, he feared his hair would become disheveled and did not believe it important to honour American war dead.
In February 2019, Trump made an unexpected visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for his annual physical and met with several wounded veterans, including Marine MSGT Clint Trial. Trump awarded a Purple Heart to Trial in a private ceremony with his family present. A photograph of this event later went viral on social media, with some claiming that it was evidence of news media bias against Trump.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Trump has visited wounded soldiers in the hospital.
Trump visited Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in 2017 and 2019.
Trump awarded Purple Hearts to wounded service members. He also met with their families and healthcare staff.
No, Trump has been criticized for not visiting troops enough and for disparaging the intelligence of service members. He also asked that wounded veterans be excluded from military parades.
