New reporting reveals that Donald Trump was briefed in February that Russia was paying bounties to Taliban fighters who killed American soldiers in Afghanistan — and did nothing to stop them.

Democratic veterans from across the Commonwealth slammed Trump’s atrocious failure to protect the safety and lives of U.S. servicemembers:

Senator Dick Saslaw:

“Our brave men and women in uniform risk their lives every day and expect our Commander in Chief to have their backs. But this president panders to our enemies and feigns ignorance when bounties are placed on the heads of those that wear the uniform for this nation.”

Senator John Bell:

“I’m disgusted and angry that President Trump could embrace President Putin after knowing that Putin was paying a bounty for the death of U.S. servicemembers. It is a disgrace to the honor and service to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and it furthers the pain the surviving families must endure. Our Commander In Chief must be held to a much higher standard and our servicemembers and their families deserve so much more.”

Delegate Don Scott:

“Donald Trump uses veterans as a political backdrop for his reelection campaign, but when it comes to standing up for the lives of veterans, he won’t do it. Right here at home, he has tried to use the military to turn their power on other citizens, to turn our own neighbors into enemy combatants.”

Delegate Clint Jenkins:

“It is horrific and unsalvageable that in the midst of allegations that Russia offered bounties for killing American troops in Afghanistan, President Trump, Commander in Chief of the nation’s armed forces would downplay the allegation as a hoax and choose Russian President Vladimir Putin over our U.S Soldiers.”

Delegate Dan Helmer: 

“I served in Afghanistan and never imagined that a President of the United States would ignore and then belittle intelligence that a foreign enemy was paying bounties to kill our troops. We deserve a Commander in Chief who isn’t bought and paid for by Putin.”

Delegate Marcus Simon: 

“There is no bottom where this President is concerned. We’ve always known he was a coward who dodged serving feigning bone spurs during Vietnam. We knew he was willing to attack Gold Star families on the campaign trail, and now we know he’s so indifferent to the safety of the troops under his command in harm's way he either won’t read his Intel briefings, can’t comprehend them, or is in fact still too much of a coward to stand up to our enemies, or up for our troops.”

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