An Illinois Democrat who was seriously wounded in Iraq derisively referred to President Donald Trump’s draft deferments after Trump called Democrats “treasonous” for not clapping during his State of the Union speech.
“We don’t live in a dictatorship or a monarchy. I swore an oath—in the military and in the Senate—to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, not to mindlessly cater to the whims of Cadet Bone Spurs and clap when he demands I clap,” Sen. Tammy Duckworth tweeted Monday evening.
Duckworth, an Army veteran who lost her legs while serving in Iraq, appeared to be referencing Trump’s draft deferments. Trump received five draft deferments throughout the Vietnam War, and on one occasion, Trump received a deferment because of bone spurs.
On Monday, Trump called out Democrats’ behavior at his speech last week.
“They were like death and un-American. Un-American. Somebody said, ‘Treasonous.’ I mean, yeah, I guess, why not,” Trump said, adding, “Can we call that treason? Why not.”
This isn’t the first time Duckworth has pointed out Trump’s draft deferments. Last month, she brought it up on the Senate floor.
“I spent my entire adult life looking out for the well-being, the training, the equipping of the troops for whom I was responsible. I will not be lectured about what our military needs by a five-deferment draft dodger,” Duckworth said at the time.