Taking a jab at Democratic rival Hillary Clinton ahead of their first joint event – a Wednesday evening forum on the president’s role as commander-in-chief – Mr Trump called the former secretary of state “trigger happy and very unstable”. Clinton said the same of Syria.
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On the campaign trail Wednesday, Trump laid out several proposals created to update and upgrade America’s military, including asking top USA generals to present a plan to defeat and destroy ISIS within 30 days after he takes office.
When asked about the tweet by moderator Matt Lauer, Trump didn’t back down.
“I think her judgment is very much flawed when it comes to understanding the Mideast”, the South Carolinian said.
Mr Trump’s pledge to ask U.S. military leaders how to defeat IS appeared to be a change of approach.
“As soon as I take office, I will ask Congress to fully eliminate the defense sequester and will submit a new budget to rebuild our military”, Trump said.
Clintonparried a series of questions regarding her use of a private email server as secretary of state, saying again that she had erred in doing so but insisting that she had not been careless with classified information.
“They know they can count on me to be the kind of commander in chief who will protect our country and our troops, and they know they cannot count on Donald Trump”, Clinton said Tuesday.
Leveling unusually harsh criticism against the military, Republican Donald Trump said Wednesday night that America’s generals have been “reduced to rubble” under President Barack Obama and suggested he would fire some of them if he wins in November.
Mr Trump’s remarks came hours after US Defence Secretary Ash Carter said Russian Federation “has clear ambition to erode the principled global order”. He cited his team of military advisers, but also said he has “a common sense” that will help him make decisions on foreign policy.
In the NBC forum, Clinton argued that “rock steadiness” was required of the commander-in-chief, suggesting Trump did not possess that quality.
“He made a political contribution to the attorney general of Florida who at the time had her office investigating Trump University”, Clinton added.
Earlier in the campaign, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump was seen as a major break from the traditional candidates on military spending, a critic of overspending and impractical weapons projects backed by special interest groups.
– Clinton said she has a comprehensive plan to cut down on the epidemic of soldier and veteran suicides.
“He’s on record extensively supporting intervention in Libya”, she said.
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Trump’s military plan includes spending money on more than 70 new ships and more than 70 new fighter aircraft, plus expanding the USA fighting force by 50,000 people, or about 10 percent.
