what did trump say about veterans

Trump has made both highly critical and highly praising remarks about veterans over the years, which is why the question “what did Trump say about veterans” usually points to a few especially controversial quotes. Below is a quick scoop of the most cited comments and the broader context around them.

Key controversial quotes

• Reports from 2020 stated that Trump privately referred to American war dead and some service members as “losers” and “suckers,” a claim later publicly backed by his former chief of staff, retired Gen. John Kelly, though Trump has repeatedly denied it.

• In a later anecdote about planning a military parade, Trump was quoted as saying he did not want wounded veterans included because “this doesn’t look good for me,” referring to vets with visible injuries or in wheelchairs.

• In 2024, he drew new backlash by saying that the top civilian honor was “much better” than the Medal of Honor because recipients of the military medal are often “in very bad shape… or they’re dead.”

Earlier veterans‑related remarks

• During the 2016 campaign, one of his most replayed lines about a war veteran was “I like people who weren’t captured,” aimed at Sen. John McCain, a former POW; this has since become a shorthand criticism of his attitude toward some veterans.

• He has also been reported as complaining about visiting cemeteries for fallen soldiers and questioning “what was in it for them,” comments that feed the broader narrative that he sometimes speaks dismissively about sacrifice in uniform.

Supportive and pro‑veteran messaging

• Alongside the controversies, Trump frequently frames himself as a strong ally of veterans, pointing to expanded choice in VA health care, faster firing of problematic VA employees, and other administrative changes as evidence that he “puts our veterans first.”

• In formal speeches such as Veterans Day events and cemetery ceremonies, he often praises veterans’ courage, condemns “political correctness,” and promises that U.S. military power and veteran care will be central priorities.

How veterans and the public reacted

• Veteran organizations and many Gold Star families have publicly condemned his more inflammatory remarks, with groups like VoteVets and the VFW issuing statements calling his comments disrespectful and demanding apologies.

• At the same time, some veterans and conservative commentators argue that his policy moves on benefits, the VA, and military funding show genuine support, and they dismiss many of the reported quotes as partisan attacks or media smears.

Why this is still trending

• The clash between Trump’s harsh, sometimes mocking language and his claims of delivering policy wins for veterans keeps the topic alive in news cycles and online forums, especially in election years.

• As new comments or confirmations surface—like Kelly’s corroboration of earlier reports or newer Medal of Honor remarks—older quotes resurface, and debate over what he “really” thinks of veterans flares up again.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.