It wasn't just the parade: This week, Trump politicized the military
No one needed President Donald Trump's military parade, which just happened to take place on his birthday, to know that the United States' fearsome armed forces deserve respect. Ostentatious muscle-flexing does not make America appear confident — particularly when there are questions about whom, exactly, it is meant to honor.
But if the parade had been the only spectacular interaction the president had with U.S. service members over the past week, the nation would have reason for relief. Instead, this was the week that Trump politicized the military, challenging the core principles of civilian-military relations.
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