Trump falsely claims Sen. Blumenthal devised ‘one of the greatest military frauds in U.S. history’

President Trump tore into Sen. Richard Blumenthal on Wednesday after the Connecticut Democrat called the White House’s explanation for firing FBI Director James Comey amid the bureau’s open investigation into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia “laughable.”

“What we have now is really a looming constitutional crisis that is deadly serious,” Blumenthal said on CNN’s “New Day.” “Because there is an investigation ongoing.”

Trump, who was apparently watching the show, lashed out on Twitter.

“Watching Senator Richard Blumenthal speak of Comey is a joke,” the president tweeted. “‘Richie’ devised one of the greatest military frauds in U.S. history.”

“For years, as a [politician] in Connecticut, Blumenthal would talk of his great bravery and conquests in Vietnam – except he was never there,” Trump added. “When caught, he cried like a baby and begged for forgiveness and now he is judge & jury. He should be the one who is investigated for his acts.”

Blumenthal fired back, saying Trump’s “bullying” will not silence him.

In 2010, Blumenthal apologized for repeatedly claiming he had served in Vietnam after the New York Times reported he obtained at least five military deferments between 1965 and 1970 to avoid going to war.

“On a few occasions, I have misspoken about my service and I regret that,” Blumenthal said at the time. “I take full responsibility, but I will not allow anyone to take a few misplaced words and impugn my record of military service.”

U.S. military history contains a number of major scandals and controversies, including false claims of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, the Gulf of Tonkin incident that drew the U.S. into the Vietnam War, the sinking of the USS Maine ahead of the Spanish-American War, John F. Kennedy falsely claiming the Soviet Union had a “missile gap” over the U.S. arsenal, and a secret war in Laos.

And during the Vietnam War, Trump avoided the draft by receiving five deferments, including one for what he described as bone spurs in his heels.

It’s not the first time the president has raised the issue of Blumenthal’s military service.

In February, Trump brought up the seven-year-old controversy after Blumenthal revealed that Neil Gorsuch, Trump’s then-nominee for the Supreme Court, had called the president’s criticism of judges “demoralizing” and “disheartening.”

“Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who never fought in Vietnam when he said for years he had (major lie), now misrepresents what Judge Gorsuch told him?” Trump tweeted.

Yet former New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte, who was leading the White House team working to confirm Trump’s pick, said Gorsuch indeed used those words in his discussions with senators, including Blumenthal.

“While [Gorsuch] made clear that he was not referring to any specific case,” Ayotte added, “he said that he finds any criticism of a judge’s integrity and independence disheartening and demoralizing.”

Colin Campbell contributed reporting.

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