WASHINGTON, DC: A sensational profile in The Atlantic has made claims about a disturbing incident involving former President Donald Trump and a disabled war hero, Army Captain Luis Avila.
The alleged incident occurred at the welcome ceremony for incoming Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, in 2019.
Captain Luis Avila, a five-tour veteran who had been severely injured in an IED attack in Afghanistan, was chosen by General Milley to sing 'God Bless America' at the ceremony.
Avila, who had lost a leg and endured two heart attacks, two strokes, and brain damage due to his injuries, was seen as a symbol of heroism, sacrifice, and the dignity of wounded soldiers.
Donald Trump's alleged tirade
However, the event took an ugly turn when Avila's wheelchair struggled to navigate the sodden ground due to overnight rain.
Eyewitnesses quoted in the profile alleged that Trump, within earshot of several people, made a deeply offensive comment about Avila's appearance, saying, "Why do you bring people like that here? No one wants to see that, the wounded."
The eyebrow-raising tirade apparently occurred shortly after Milley assumed the role of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest-ranking military officer in the U.S. and the principal military advisor to the president.
The report, replete with unproven claims, suggested that this incident provided an early and unsettling glimpse into Trump's perspective on soldiers.
Milley had selected Avila precisely because he believed he represented the resilience and bravery of wounded soldiers. As Avila struggled with his wheelchair, Milley's wife, Hollyanne, and Vice President Mike Pence rushed to prevent the wheelchair from toppling over.
Trump was also seen in a viral video warmly greeting the veteran after he finished singing, before allegedly berating Milley for inviting the war hero and warning him never to allow Avila to appear in public again.
Strained relations between Milley and Trump
The article in The Atlantic claims that despite the reported incident, Milley invited Avila to sing again at his retirement ceremony four years later.
The profile also delves into Milley's strained relationship with Trump during the former president's time in office.
The report suggests that Trump's attitude towards veterans and the military troubled Milley deeply.
"As a veteran of multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, he had buried 242 soldiers who'd served under his command. Milley's family venerated the military, and Trump's attitude toward the uniformed services seemed superficial, callous, and, at the deepest human level, repugnant," it stated.
The sentiment was allegedly not unique to Milley, as other military commanders close to Trump, including John Kelly and James Mattis, have also criticized Trump for what they perceive as his lack of respect for the military.
Trump labels Milley 'woke train wreck'
In response to the unfounded claims, Trump labeled Milley a "woke train wreck" just before the latter's retirement as the country's top military officer.
Milley is set to step down as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on October 1, a position he was appointed to by Trump in 2019.
On September 22, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to further criticize Milley, particularly for his role in the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.
Trump's post accused Milley of incompetence in executing the withdrawal, resulting in the loss of lives and the abandonment of American citizens and military equipment, Newsweek reported.
"Mark Milley, who led perhaps the most embarrassing moment in American history with his grossly incompetent implementation of the withdrawal from Afghanistan, costing many lives, leaving behind hundreds of American citizens, and handing over BILLIONS of dollars of the finest military equipment ever made, will be leaving the military next week," Trump posted.
"This will be a time for all citizens of the USA to celebrate!" he continued.
"This guy turned out to be a Woke train wreck who, if the Fake News reporting is correct, was actually dealing with China to give them a heads up on the thinking of the President of the United States."
Trump insisted that Milley's purported pledge to warn China was "an act so egregious that, in times gone by, the punishment would have been DEATH!"
