Tom Nichols: Trump ‘Doesn’t Care About Any of Those People in the Military’

EXCERPT:

NICHOLS: “Donald Trump led these young men and women in not just an unseemly display, a violation of military decorum and a violation of military regulations. I -- I taught military officers for 25 years. If I had walked into a room like that and, you know, led jeers against elected American officials, not only would I have been in trouble, but any military officer who had clapped along with that would have been in a -- in a hell of a lot of hot water as well. Because we pride ourselves on an apolitical, nonpartisan military that serves, first of all, the Constitution and the elected leaders, whoever they are, as chosen by the American people. Not -- we don't have a military that is out there hooting and nodding and laughing at ridiculing a former commander-in-chief, a sitting governor, the mayor of a major city. That's -- that's playing with political fire. And Donald Trump knows it. He doesn't care. He doesn't -- this is really important to point out. He doesn't care about any of those people in the military. They are just fodder for him. They are just raw material for his ego and for his autocratic plans. And somebody has to speak up. Someone with stars on their shoulders needs to say something and -- and lead these young men and women. It's not their fault, their responsibility. Maybe there should be better training, better explanation about why they shouldn't have been doing that. But in the end, the fault lies with their officers and their leadership.”