(This post may contain disputed claims. We make no assertions as to the validity of the information presented by our Opinion Columnist. We are an opinion blog, not a traditional news outlet, and this post should be treated as such. Enjoy.)Monday night’s rally in New Hampshire was rocking with tens of thousands in attendance. President Donald Trump was on fire and gave his best rendition of the poem “The Snake.” However, he ended the rally a little early. Trump didn’t want any fanfare as he somberly took off to honor two of our fallen heroes—as one widow was “inconsolable” and reminded him of the true cost of war. Don’t miss this.
President Donald Trump left his raucous New Hampshire rally early Monday night. It was important to the president to make time to honor two fallen heroes and their families.
“Mr. Trump flew to Dover from a campaign rally in Manchester, New Hampshire, where he revved his supporters and derided his Democratic foes on the eve of that state’s primary elections. The rally speech was short by Mr. Trump’s standards, at 57 minutes,” Washington Times reports.
National security adviser Robert O’Brien, who accompanied the president to the “dignified transfer,” described such moments as “probably the toughest thing he does as president,” along with visiting wounded soldiers at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Trump left New Hampshire on Air Force One along with Vice-President Mike Pence and flew to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Awaiting them on the tarmac were two 28-year-old fallen soldiers and their families.
“Two U.S. soldiers killed Saturday in Afghanistan when a soldier dressed in an Afghan army uniform opened fire with a machine gun. The Defense Department identified the dead American soldiers as Sgt. Javier Jaguar Gutierrez, 28; and Sgt. Antonio Rey Rodriguez, 28,” Associated Press reports.
President Trump’s detractors claim he is a heartless, selfish man, who only cares about staying in power.
Well, the truth is the president is not required to attend these sad events. As the Commander in Chief, he must look at the grieving families in the eyes and attempt to console them.
What happened at this particular event is one of those moments that will stay with the president long after he has left office. As the first casket draped in the American flag was carried down by military honor guards, the widow of Sgt. Guiterrez became inconsolable.
“As Trump and Pence stood on the tarmac in a falling mist, [Sgt. Javier Guiterrez’s wife], broke free of efforts to hold her back and ran toward the plane. She threw herself on its ramp, crying and screaming, as mourners and an official tried to restrain her. She wailed as the doors on the transfer vehicle closed,” AP adds.
It’s easy for us to forget the sacrifices still going on by our military men and women and their families.
“These are terrible sacrifices for the families. And these guys are heroes, they’re real warriors and did a great job for the American people,” O’Brien said. “These are tough times. It’s tough for the president but he thinks it’s important to be there for the families and recognize them.”
Born in Jacksonville, North Carolina, in 1991, Gutierrez enlisted in the Army in 2009 as an infantryman. He was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, while assigned to the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment
Eight years ago, Gutierrez attended Special Forces Assessment and Selection at Fort Bragg, and he was selected to attend the Special Forces Qualification Course. He graduated in 2015 as a Special Forces communications sergeant and was assigned to the 7th Group’s 3rd Battalion.
We are sure Mrs. Guiterrez’s cries won’t be forgotten by anyone who attended the “dignified transfer.” Trump tweeted: “Just returned to White House from Dover. Very sad!” He also attached the article in the Washington Times which says nothing about Mrs. Guterrrez.
What he did not do was make it about him. He did not relate the private moments he spent consoling those grieving families, either.
Just returned to White House from Dover. Very sad! https://t.co/0Ld0gzXdLe
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2020
It’s important to push back against the false narrative the mainstream media loves to spread about the president. President Trump was viciously attacked by Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL), who lied claiming Trump had called one of her constituents, a widow of a fallen hero, and “abused her” during the call.
Rep. Wilson sadly got what she deserved when the truth came out. That was in 2017, and since then Trump has personally called more grieving families than Barack Obama. Its something his close advisers say he takes “deeply personal” and he “feels responsible for connecting with them” as the Commander in Chief. It just goes to show you another way the fake news hurts our fallen heroes — just so they can hurt Trump.
