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Donald Trump just put the 'Me' in his Memorial Day tweet


Donald Trump has sparked fresh controversy by using his nation’s Memorial Day to suggest those who died fighting for the country would be “very happy and proud” with his his performance as president.

Just hours before travelling to Arlington National Cemetery to speak at a Memorial Day remembrance ceremony, the president used Twitter to seek credit for the state of the economy and the low unemployment rate among people of colour.

“Happy Memorial Day! Those who died for our great country would be very happy and proud at how well our country is doing today,” he wrote.

“Best economy in decades, lowest unemployment numbers for blacks and hispanics EVER (& women in 18 years), rebuilding our military and so much more. Nice!”

The comments by Mr Trump on a day that has been marked since 1868 to honour those who died while serving in the country’s armed forces, triggered immediate criticism. Many commentators said it was inappropriate for the president to try and score political points on such a day.

Former Army Gen Martin Dempsey, who served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the administrations of Barack Obama, said on Twitter: “This day, of all days of the year, should not be about any one of us.”

John Kirby, a State Department spokesman in the Obama administration, called Mr Trump”s tweet “one of the most inappropriate, ignorant and tone-deaf things our Commander-in-Chief could have said on a day like today”.

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Nate Bell, a conservative Arkansas politician also known for controversial remarks, said Mr Trump’s comment represented “perhaps the most disgusting Trump tweet ever”.

“Memorial Day is a solemn day to reflect on the memories of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for freedom, liberty & justice for all,” he said.

“It’s NOT a ‘Happy’ day nor is it a day to tout your draft dodging ‘bone spurs’ self.”

Happy Memorial Day! Those who died for our great country would be very happy and proud at how well our country is doing today. Best economy in decades, lowest unemployment numbers for Blacks and Hispanics EVER (& women in 18years), rebuilding our Military and so much more. Nice! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 28, 2018

VoteVets.org, a veterans’ rights which says it has 500,000 supporters across the country, also condemned the remark.

“This is the most inappropriate #MemorialDay comment that a @POTUS has ever made. Self-promotion on a day to remember the fallen, and wishing those remembering their deceased loved ones a “happy” holiday is appalling,” the group wrote on Twitter.

Neither Mr Trump or any members of his immediate family served in the US military. The president received five draft deferrals for Vietnam, some of which were for purportedly having bone spurs.

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Col Cedric Leighton, a retired officer with the US Air Force, told CNN Mr Trump’s ought not to have made his comment on such a day. He said Mr Trump also had no right to claim he knew what fallen veterans would have made of his presidency.

“There has to be a separation of what you do on Memorial Day and what you do as part of your political” behaviour, he told CNN.

Later on Monday morning, Mr Trump attended a memorial service at Arlington National Cemetery, which is home to an estimated 420,000 fallen soldiers.

This is the most inappropriate #MemorialDay comment that a @POTUS has ever made. Self-promotion on a day to remember the fallen, and wishing those remembering their deceased loved ones a “happy” holiday is appalling. #CadetBoneSpurs pic.twitter.com/kRse4dnwiu — VoteVets (@votevets) May 28, 2018

“We mourn alongside their families and we strive to be worthy of their sacrifice,” he told cabinet members, military leaders, veterans and families assembled in the marble amphitheatre near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The Associated Press said Mr Trump said he came to the “sacred soil” of Arlington, “to honour the lives and deeds of America’s greatest heroes”.

Mr Trump also laid a wreath at the tomb during his second Memorial Day visit as president.

At Arlington, Mr Trump said those who died for America, “rest in these hallowed fields, in cemeteries, battlefields and burial grounds near and far, and are drawn from the full tapestry of American life”.

He said they came from “every generation, from towering cities and wind-swept prairies, from privilege and from poverty. They were generals and privates, captains and corporals of every race, colour and of every creed, but they were all brothers and sisters in arms”.

He added: “And they were all united then, as they are united now, forever, by their undying love of our great country.”


(CNN) Memorial Day, for politicians, is a no-brainer. You express thanks to those who have served and condolences for those who have been lost. That's it. That's the statement.

President Donald Trump went in, um, another direction on Monday.

Here's his tweet:

"Happy Memorial Day! Those who died for our great country would be very happy and proud at how well our country is doing today. Best economy in decades, lowest unemployment numbers for Blacks and Hispanics EVER (& women in 18years), rebuilding our Military and so much more. Nice!"

Happy Memorial Day! Those who died for our great country would be very happy and proud at how well our country is doing today. Best economy in decades, lowest unemployment numbers for Blacks and Hispanics EVER (& women in 18years), rebuilding our Military and so much more. Nice!

This is a tweet about Trump masquerading as a tweet about Memorial Day. The remembrance of those who fell in service to the country is used here by Trump as simply a launching pad to tout accomplishments during his first 16 months in office.

Need evidence? Ask yourself if those who died for the country did so while thinking about the current unemployment rate. Or how a family mourning someone lost fighting for the United States today would react when the President ends a tweet allegedly honoring their service with this: "Nice!"

Compare Trump's tweet to how other politicians handled Memorial Day.

Here's South Carolina GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham's tweet : "On #MemorialDay we honor the American heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice defending our values and protecting our freedoms. We owe them a debt of gratitude we can never repay."

And here's what former President Barack Obama said via Twitter : "We can never truly repay the debt we owe our fallen heroes. But we can remember them, honor their sacrifice, and affirm in our own lives those enduring ideals of justice, equality, and opportunity for which generations of Americans have given that last full measure of devotion."

There are dozens (and dozens) more of these sorts of tweets and statements. And not one of them sounds anything like what Trump wrote.

Remember that phrase "There's a time and place for everything"? Trump seems not to have that gene in him -- or to listen to people who do. Anyone -- and I mean ANYONE -- who Trump ran that tweet by before sending it would tell him that it sounds incredibly self-serving, far too focused on himself and what he's done as opposed to what today means for the country.

But as the past 16 months has shown, Trump rarely consults with people before he tweets. He feels as though he innately understands Twitter -- that it is the medium best suited for him to communicate to the millions and millions of people who not only voted for him but also "get" him at some core level.

Maybe that group of core Trump supporters think today's tweet is a good idea, though it's difficult to see how.

The tweet seems reflective of a broader belief that has animated every moment of Trump's campaign and presidency: This is about him. Period.

"Nobody knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it," Trump said in accepting the Republican nomination back in 2016. I alone can fix it.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions' decision to recuse himself in the Russia probe? "Very unfair to the President," Trump told The New York Times last summer.

Me, I, me. I did this. I deserve credit. This is unfair to me. Soldiers fought and died so I could make the unemployment rate better. And so on.

Trump's total lack of understanding of how past presidents have prioritized the collective good of the country over their own personal aggrandizement or self -promotion represents one of the most consequential breaks with history embodied in Trump.

Trump is the "me" President, not the "we" President. And that is a profound change in how politicians -- Democrats and Republicans -- have conceived of the office they hold.


Monday, May 28, marks the celebration of Memorial Day 2018. The day was made an official holiday in 1971 to honor and remember those who died while serving their country in the military, and by extension Memorial Day pays tribute to the sacrifices of all families of those who serve.

Memorial Day weekend is also celebrated as the unofficial start of summer, with plenty of barbecue cookouts, parties, and trips to the beach. If you’re trying to squeeze in some errands during the holiday weekend, however, that may be complicated—because it’s not always clear what’s closed and what’s open on Memorial Day 2018.

As you probably know, most stores are open on Memorial Day with regular business hours—and they often host big sales to boot. There is a huge Home Depot Memorial Day 2018 sale happening right now, for instance. But are banks, restaurants, and post offices open on Memorial Day? Here’s all the info you need.

Are Banks Open on Memorial Day?

Nearly all banks are closed on Monday, May 28, in honor of Memorial Day 2018. U.S. branch locations for Wells Fargo, Chase, First Citizens Bank, TD Bank, Peoples United Bank, and HSBC are all closed, to name a few examples.

Of course, even though there are no bank business hours on Memorial Day, access to ATMs and electronic banking services should be readily available even on major holidays, including Memorial Day.

Are Stores and Restaurants Open on Memorial Day?

For the most part, yes. Virtually all major retailers, including malls, big box stores, convenience stores, liquor stores, drugstores, and supermarkets, are open on Memorial Day 2018. Many stores have special Memorial Day weekend sales in effect too, with deals on garden supplies, grills, appliances, home goods, clothing, and more. Nearly all restaurants are open on Memorial Day too.

There are a few exceptions, mind you. Costco is closed on Memorial Day 2018, and some locations for warehouse club competitor BJ’s have limited hours on the holiday. You may find that some independent mom-and-pop stores and restaurants are closed for Memorial Day 2018 as well.

Is the Post Office Open? Is Mail Delivered on Memorial Day?

Memorial Day is a postal holiday. Post offices are closed, and the mail will not be delivered on Monday, May 28.

Is the Stock Market Open or Closed on Memorial Day 2018?

The stock market is closed for trading today. Both the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq are closed on Memorial Day 2018, as they are every year for the holiday.

Are Schools Open or Closed?

Virtually all schools are closed on Memorial Day. In most cases, it’s the last holiday giving students the day off before the end of the school year. (Live it up, kids!)

Are Government Offices Open on Memorial Day?

Memorial Day is a federal holiday, so all non-essential government offices are closed and most non-essential state and federal government employees have a paid day off work. Most public libraries are closed for the holiday too.

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