Sen. Tammy Duckworth Says Trump Values TV Ratings Over Health Of West Point Cadets | HuffPost Latest News - Action News
Home WebMail Tuesday, November 5, 2024, 12:54 AM | Calgary | 1.1°C | Regions Advertise Login | Our platform is in maintenance mode. Some URLs may not be available. |
Posted: 2020-04-29T18:58:17Z | Updated: 2020-04-30T01:17:27Z

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) blasted President Donald Trump s decision to bring 1,000 West Point cadets back to campus during the coronavirus pandemic so that he can give a speech to the graduating class.

Trumps reckless decision to gather 1,000 Cadets at West Point for a speech puts our future military leaders at increased risk all to stroke his own ego, Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran and Purple Heart recipient, said in a statement Wednesday . Our troops need stable, consistent leadership during volatile times like these, not a Commander-in-Chief who values his own photo ops and TV ratings over their health and safety. I urge President Trump to evaluate the potential consequences of this vanity speech and reconsider holding the event.

In mid-April, Trump suddenly announced that he would be giving the commencement speech on June 13 at the U.S. Military Academy which sits not far north of New York City, a COVID-19 hot spot.

Hes the commander in chief, thats his call, Sue Fulton, a West Point graduate and former chairwoman of the academys board of visitors, told The New York Times last week.

Previously, cadets had been told to stay home after spring break as COVID-19 spread around the country. But on Wednesday, the Army and West Point both confirmed that the academy will be holding an in-person graduation ceremony. Cadets will be returning from their homes all across the U.S. to the state hardest hit by the virus.

West Point said in its statement that this years procession will look different from recent graduation ceremonies due to current force health protection requirements.

Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) also tore into Trumps latest of many reckless decisions regarding the virus.

Your Support Has Never Been More Critical

Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone.

Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.

Support HuffPost

Hes forcing the creation of crowds in hopes of generating applause and adulation. Its always about him, Speier told HuffPost on Tuesday. Thats why we have almost 1 million infected and over 50,000 Americans dead.


A HuffPost Guide To Coronavirus