Mission ‘Accomplished’? Trump Boasts of Being Boon for Military

Over the past two weeks, President Trump has repeatedly boasted of being a boon for the military. He has trumpeted the Pentagon’s $700 billion budget, taken credit for staving off a “major war” with North Korea and generally declared victory on all things related to the United States’ armed forces.

“Look, I accomplished the military,” Mr. Trump said, in a perplexing verbal offering at the Oval Office in recent days.

But has he? A look at two years of the military under Mr. Trump produces a report card with plenty of incompletes and far more failing grades from national security experts than the A+ the commander in chief has awarded himself.

Mr. Trump’s expressed love for the men he called “my generals” has given way to chillier climes. At the Pentagon, senior officials joke about having a half-life with Mr. Trump, one whose longevity is determined by whether they can steer clear of the president. Mr. Trump so often overlooked the advice of the Pentagon that his defense secretary resigned in December, citing irreconcilable differences.

Read the full article and more in The New York Times.