President Disrespects the Flag at Military Base

[SummerMadness]

Trump sits, talks through song lowering the flag at military base amid NFL anthem controversy

President Trump sat and talked through the nightly playing of "Retreat" as the American flag was lowered on a Pennsylvania Air National Guard base during his interview with Sean Hannity.

Trump, who has been criticizing NFL players who kneel through the national anthem to protest racism, seemed caught off-guard by loudspeakers playing "Retreat." The song is played every night at military bases to signal the American flag being lowered and the end of the official duty day.

Military site Task and Purpose was the first to notice Trump sitting during the song. According to Task and Purpose, uniformed service members are required to stop what they're doing and salute the flag as its lowered during the song while civilians are required to place their hand over their heart.

 

[SummerMadness]

President Trump Had No Idea What To Do When Evening Colors Started

President Donald Trump appeared confused about a longstanding military tradition on Wednesday night.

[...]

"What a nice sound that is," Trump said, as the tune began playing. "Are they playing that for you or for me?"

"They're playing that in honor of his ratings," Trump quipped, answering his own question to Hannity. "He's beating everybody."

When the American flag is lowered and raised on US military installations, a bugle blares on loudspeakers as service members and civilians pay their respects to the flag.

 

[Saucy]

Trump isn't a uniformed service member. So, how is that disrespect on his part?

 

[Hammster]

So it was done out of ignorance.

Got it.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

Don't expect Trump supporters to see it that way.

 

[Gwen-is-new!]

Sounds like we can extend some mercy and grace to him OR join the secular masses and knit pick.

Thank you Trump to all you do!!!

 

[TLK Valentine]

Trump isn't a uniformed service member. So, how is that disrespect on his part?

As a civilian, he should have stood silently with his hand over his heart.
As the Commander in Chief, he should try to set a good example once in a while.

 

[Saucy]

He went to New York Military Academy. I think he knew what that song was and what it meant. He's not a uniformed officer, so he wasn't required to stand and salute. Come on with this petty crap already.

 

[Saucy]

As a civilian, he should have stood silently with his hand over his heart.
As the Commander in Chief, he should try to set a good example once in a while.

He was in the middle of an interview. This is petty.

 

[TLK Valentine]

He went to New York Military Academy. I think he knew what that song was and what it meant. He's not a uniformed officer, so he wasn't required to stand and salute. Come on with this petty crap already.

Then his snub was deliberate.

 

[Saucy]

No, you only want to see a snub. There was no snub.

 

[TLK Valentine]

He was in the middle of an interview. This is petty.

And his interview was more important than his patriotic duty. Got it.

Remember, boys and girls, respect the flag unless you've got something better to do...

 

[Saucy]

And his interview was more important than his patriotic duty. Got it.

Remember, boys and girls, respect the flag unless you've got something better to do...

What patriotic duty? What part of UNIFORMED SERVICE MEMBERS don't you get?

 

[TLK Valentine]

No, you only want to see a snub. There was no snub.

You said it yourself -- he knew what he was supposed to do and chose not to do it. Perhaps respecting the flag is petty; I dunno how Trump's loyalists think anymore.

 

[Saucy]

You're being deliberately petty and difficult. You know there is no duty here. There was no 'supposed to' about it. He wasn't a uniformed service member.

 

[Goonie]

You're being deliberately petty and difficult. You know there is no duty here. There was no 'supposed to' about it. He wasn't a uniformed service member.

But last time I checked he is the commander in chief of the armed forces, who has campaigned on the importance of civilians respecting the flag.

 

[Saucy]

But last time I checked he is the commander in chief of the armed forces, who has campaigned on the importance of civilians respecting the flag.

Ya'll are just trying to play "gotcha!" here. I know, I know. Typical liberals can't let an opportunity to attack go to waste.

 

[SummerMadness]

Other nonuniformed individuals stood and placed their hands over their hearts... the president did not.

 

[SummerMadness]

Ya'll are just trying to play "gotcha!" here. I know, I know. Typical liberals can't let an opportunity to attack go to waste.

For someone who spent so much time talking about how much he reveres the flag, it's not gotcha, it's just the shear hypocrisy of the matter.

I don't care if you want your girlfriend to get an abortion, but if you turn around screaming that abortion should be band, that's some next level stuff.

 

[Saucy]

So? That doesn't mean it was disrespect on the part of Trump. He's not a uniformed service member and he was in the middle of an interview. Maybe there was a time limit on the interview. There could've been a million things. Again, this is petty. It's sad to me that people watch every move he makes, waiting for a single slip up (which this wasn't) so they can go report it to the world.