Melania Trump’s Purple Heart Day tribute gets trolled: ‘How’s Captain Bone Spur?’
It’s a busy day for Melania Trump, who joined the president on Wednesday to visit Dayton and El Paso following mass shootings. The first lady also took time to pay tribute to recipients of the Purple Heart in honor of Purple Heart Day on Aug. 7.
The oldest military decoration in the U.S., the Purple Heart is given to members of the armed forces — or, posthumously, their next of kin — who have been wounded or killed in combat. The first lady’s tribute on social media reminded some commenters of President Trump’s own military-related injury: the bone spurs that got him a medical deferment during the Vietnam War.
Today we are reminded of the tremendous sacrifices made by members of our Armed Forces. To all our Purple Heart recipients, on behalf of a grateful nation, we thank you for your service. #PurpleHeartDay pic.twitter.com/2nu0OaLD3E
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) August 7, 2019
The future president, who was in his early 20s during the late 1960s, had five military deferments during the war: four for education and one medical exemption on account of bone spurs in his heels. Last December, the daughters of the late doctor who signed off on the bone spur diagnosis claimed that it was done as a “favor” to his landlord, Trump’s father, Fred Trump.
Trump critics welcomed the opportunity to mock POTUS’s lack of a service record.
Bone spurs
— Aleda Frishman 🇺🇸 (@aledajd) August 7, 2019
They made great sacrifices. Your husband had bone spurs. Please just be quiet.
— Bogue (@beach919) August 7, 2019
Your husband is a draft dodger and that’s the kindest thing I can say about him.
— PaigeWins1 (@PaigeWinstead) August 7, 2019
How’s captain bone spur?
— PLASTIC JESUS?? (@plasticjesusart) August 7, 2019
Be grateful the vets all dodged the Great Bone Spur Epidemic of 1969.
— Frank McEvoy (@FranktheMc2) August 7, 2019
God bless all those who have served and sacrificed for our country.
Sadly the commander in chief was able to have money get him out of serving. #DontKnowWhichFoot
Sadly these brave soldiers couldn't receive their medals from someone within the military.— Robert Holmes (@HolmesRobert21) August 7, 2019
Some also pointed out that former Special Counsel Robert Mueller is a Purple Heart recipient, while one person brought up a 1998 Trump quote in which he and Howard Stern compared avoiding sexually transmitted diseases to Vietnam.
ROBERT MUELLER IS A PURPLE HEART RECIPIENT pic.twitter.com/h4nxNnR55N
— Tracey P (@traceyteepee5) August 7, 2019
photo op - that's all it is. ask your husband about his personal vietnam?
— kelorie (@kelorie1) August 7, 2019
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