CNN political commentator Ben Ferguson locked horns with Trump’s national spokeswoman Katerina Pierson Thursday over the Republican presidential candidate’s decision to pull out of the Fox News debate and host his own event to support veterans.
He accused Trump of using veterans as “political pawns,” calling it a “sick and vile move.”
“To use Wounded Warriors and their true battle scars to his political advantage, I would say this to Katrina: I’m not dumb enough to buy that this is about the veterans, because Donald Trump has never held an event for the veterans on his campaign,” the conservative commentator said.
He also called the real estate developer out for trying to remove vendors — including disabled veterans — from selling items near his Fifth Avenue hotel. He deemed Trump hypocritical for now touting veterans.
“So for him to come out now and to self-righteously say, ‘I’m gonna stand up for veterans, and I’m going to do an event that I haven’t had time to do’ until it was convenient for him tonight, many veterans are going to be turned off by this,” Ferguson said. “They went and fought for their country and now Donald Trump uses them as political pawns.”
Watch the fireworks.
After Trump announced his alternative event, Paul Rieckhoff, founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, took to social media to say if his organization is offered any money, it will be refused, calling it a “political stunt.”
If offered, @IAVA will decline donations from Trump’s event. We need strong policies from candidates, not to be used for political stunts.
— Paul (PJ) Rieckhoff (@PaulRieckhoff) January 27, 2016
One vet took issue with Rieckhoff’s decision, claiming he’d be hurting the very people his organization supports. He answered:
Disagree. And you (& everyone) are welcome to donate directly to @IAVA anytime at https://t.co/UZM2Syxm7e. Thanks! https://t.co/9x2EfYIpuW
— Paul (PJ) Rieckhoff (@PaulRieckhoff) January 27, 2016
Rieckhoff also took issue with the pro-Cruz super PAC’s offer to donate $1.5 million to veterans organizations if Trump would debate the Texas senator one-on-one.
Now it’s Cruz yanking vets into the nastiness of the presidential fights before Iowa. This is not what vets need. https://t.co/xY9zwQX11n
— Paul (PJ) Rieckhoff (@PaulRieckhoff) January 28, 2016
Vets don’t need political stunts. We need candidates to present smart, specific plans on VA reform, suicide: https://t.co/oDE9v5GXRq #IAVA
— Paul (PJ) Rieckhoff (@PaulRieckhoff) January 28, 2016
Progressive advocacy group VoteVets.org said in a statement that Trump should not “hide from Megyn Kelly behind us,” according to CBS News.
“Let me put this in language Donald Trump understands,” Jon Soltz, Iraq War veteran and chairman of VoteVets.org said in a statement. “You’re a loser. You’re a third-rate politician, who clearly doesn’t understand issues, and is so scared of Megyn Kelly exposing it, that you’re looking to use veterans to protect you from facing her questions.”
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