Donald Trump’s campaign vehemently denies explosive allegations that the former president made racist remarks about Army Specialist Vanessa Guillén’s funeral costs, as reported in Jeffrey Goldberg’s recent Atlantic exposé.
According to Goldberg’s sources, Trump erupted in anger during a December 2020 Oval Office meeting upon learning of the $60,000 funeral expenses. “It doesn’t cost 60,000 bucks to bury a f****** Mexican!” Trump allegedly shouted before ordering then-Chief of Staff Mark Meadows: “Don’t pay it!”
The incident is said to have occurred months after Trump hosted the Guillén family at the White House, where he promised financial assistance with funeral costs. The 20-year-old soldier from Houston was stationed at Fort Cavazos (former Fort Hood) and was viciously murdered and burned by a fellow service member in April 2020. Her death sparked national outrage and led to military reforms.
Trump spokesperson Alex Pfeiffer called the allegation “an outrageous lie” and provided statements from former officials Kash Patel and Mark Meadows denying they heard such comments. Mayra Guillén, Vanessa’s sister, issued a statement through both the Trump campaign and Guillén family attorney expressing gratitude for Trump’s support.
The alleged incident, however, aligns with a pattern Goldberg documents of Trump’s complicated ressentiment with military service and leadership. It tracks with his early repeated avoidance of military service, through his nasty use of the military as a political cudgel or backdrop to his stance of a pure American Übermensch. Sources describe Trump—who sees service people as tools while being simultaneously jealous of their potential for heroism and valor forever out of his reach—repeatedly expressing disdain for wounded veterans, questioning the value of military sacrifice, and seeking generals who would show personal loyalty above constitutional duty.
Because he cannot control them like G.I. Joe action figures inside blanket forts, the twisted dynamic manifests in Trump’s acrimonious relationship with top military figures. He is only looking for a few good men—who kowtow to his every word. While former top officers like General Mark Milley have labeled Trump, “a fascist” and warned of his autocratic tendencies, others like Senator Lindsey Graham steadfastly defend him, repeatedly dismissing such criticisms from former military leaders and then using fearmongering tactics for anyone in opposition.
“I like General Milley, but I disagree with him,” Graham said on NBC’s Meet the Press. “You know what I fear? I fear four more years of Biden-Harris policy… If you want the world to stay on fire, vote for her.”
The contrast illustrates what political philosopher Eric Hoffer termed “true believers”—those who demonstrate unwavering devotion regardless of evidence or circumstances. As Trump faces mounting criticism from a military leadership (he cannot control with absolute authority, even as president), about his attitudes toward service and sacrifice, his core supporters maintain absolute loyalty, epitomizing the personal fealty Trump yearns for. Of course, it is what he reportedly seeks from military commanders, a desire that will not be fulfilled.
Published: Oct 23, 2024 01:02 pm