Oct 7, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Harris, Pence clash over Trump's comments about military service members

Jacob Knutson

Sen. Kamala Harris tore into President Trump at the vice presidential debate on Wednesday over his public comments and alleged private comments disparaging military service members.

Why it matters: Last month's report in The Atlantic alleging that Trump called service members "suckers and losers" sparked massive backlash. The president has vigorously denied all aspects of the report.

Harris also went after the president for his minimization of traumatic brain injuries suffered by U.S. troops in Iraq as "headaches," calling the late Sen. John McCain a "loser" in 2015 for being taken prisoner during the Vietnam War, and declining to raise the issue of Russian bounties on U.S. troops with Vladimir Putin.

The other side: Vice President Mike Pence did not address the president's past comments specifically, but said Trump "respects and reveres all of us who served in the armed forces" and called the accusation against the president "slanders."

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Harris, Pence clash over Trump's comments about military service members

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