Former President Donald Trump showed much love to the National Guard on Monday, promising if he wins in November and returns to the White House, he will give the guard everything it needs to succeed, including a boost in pay for troops.
"I'm thrilled to be here in Detroit with the incredible men and women of our National Guard," Trump said to the National Guard Association of the United States' annual conference in Detroit. His speech aired live on Newsmax and was simulcast on the Newsmax2 online streaming platform.
Trump spoke hours after participating in a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., marking three years since 13 U.S. service members were killed in a terrorist attack during the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Trump laid a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier.
"I've had no greater honor in life than to serve as your commander in chief, and you are always ready and always there for us," Trump told the National Guard Association. "And for the president of the United States, you are always there for me, I will tell you. And I'm always going to be there for you.
"Hopefully, I can say when I'm back in the White House, I'll get you the support, funding, training, and equipment you need, and I will get you the pay raises that you've really deserved for a long time. We'll get it taken care of."
Trump said the National Guard inherits the proud spirit of the citizen soldier dating to the Minutemen who battled the British in Concord, Massachusetts, during the Revolutionary War.
"The National Guard is America's first and last line of defense, and you do not get the credit you deserve," Trump said. "But actually, you do, because down deep, everybody knows it. You get a lot of credit in your own way. A little bit different. But we really respect and appreciate the job you do.
"Thank you to every guardsman for your selfless service. I want to thank also our amazing National Guard families, especially the spouses and the children. I mean, let's face it, without which you would never be the same, right? But they sacrificed so much. All of us in this room have something very special in common. We're all proud, hardworking citizens who have stepped forward to defend American freedom."
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Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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