Ten U.S. Navy sailors are missing after another collision, and Donald Trump’s response is sickeningly tone-deaf
For unknown reasons which are alarming in their own right, a U.S. Navy vessel has had a collision for the third time this year. This time it’s the USS John McCain, which has collided with a merchant vessel near Singapore. Several U.S. sailors are injured, and several more are missing. And while we shouldn’t expect much at this point, Donald Trump’s initial response to the life-and-death crisis is sickeningly tone-deaf even by his standards.
The Navy has issued a brief statement confirming that the collision happened, and that the destroyer has “sustained damage to her port side aft” (link). USA Today is reporting that five U.S. sailors are injured while ten more are currently missing (link). So how did Donald Trump, the guy who holds the office of President of the United States, the guy who’s Commander-in-Chief of the military, respond?
This sentence from the Washington Post sums it up: “President Trump, returning to the White House on Sunday night, responded to reporters’ questions about the collision by saying: ‘That’s too bad.'” (link). That’s right. He said that’s too bad. What the hell kind of response is that from the guy who’s supposed to be in charge of the military? No words of assurance to the loved ones of those serving on the ship that everything possible is being done for them. No understanding that these situations are his responsibility. No nothing.
How in the hell can we ask our military members to risk their lives to protect us when they know that this blithering idiot is in charge of keeping them safe? The average person sitting at home and hearing about the collision on television could come up with a more meaningful response than “That’s too bad.” What Donald Trump really seems to be saying is it’s too bad that he’s being personally inconvenienced by the ten U.S. Navy sailors who are missing and may be in peril. Every time we think we’ve reached the bottom with this clown, he makes it worse.
