Opinion: Of course Trump mishandled his response to four soldiers’ deaths

To the editor: The photograph of Myeshia Johnson grieving over the flag-draped casket of her husband is heart wrenching. Every wife, mother, sibling or fiance can relate to that image and feel her pain.

There are also questions that must be answered: What was the mission of Army Sgt. La David T. Johnson, Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black, Staff Sgt. Jeremiah W. Johnson and Staff Sgt. Dustin M. Wright in Niger? Why did it take two days to recover Johnson’s body? This was the deadliest combat incident of his presidency, yet Donald Trump did not mention it until he was asked about it 12 days later.

But even then, Trump could not respond calmly and sympathetically. He immediately politicized this tragic event. He gave an insensitive condolence call to Myeshia Johnson and her mother-in-law. (“How did Trump’s response to four soldiers’ deaths go so wrong?” Oct. 18)

During times of tragedy and loss, we look to the president for consolation, compassion, understanding, support, kindness and hope. Trump is not capable of this type of leadership. He is divisive and offensive in his manner and speech. Trump does not understand his job, which is that he must at times embrace all Americans.

Alba Farfaglia, San Clemente

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To the editor: The hidden question in all the turmoil related to Trump’s response to the deaths of four troops is this: Why are we in Niger anyway?

Is this the beginning of another long U.S. involvement in a country that the average American cannot locate on a map? What are the underlying issues, and what is our goal there?

To honor our fallen, we must know why they died. As a country we should be reluctant to head into yet another long, protracted war.

Evan Thompson, Altadena

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To the editor: Am I expecting too much to believe the president of the United States should be a decent human being?

Trump has no capacity for maturity under stressful conditions, for empathy and compassion for others, for the treatment of others with dignity and respect, and to inspire us to strive toward our highest ideals and values as Americans. These are abilities that transcend political ideologies.

Trump fails on all of the above. He is cruel, crude, obnoxious, divisive and severely narcissistic. His behavior is repulsive and anathema to our American values. A horrible mistake was made in electing Trump president.

How do we rectify this mistake before irreparable damage is done?

Theresa Destito, Pasadena

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To the editor: Whether you like or dislike the president, you cannot be surprised over how he dealt with a war widow in such an amazingly insulting manner. Trump ran perhaps the crudest campaign in the history of the presidency.

During his campaign and his time in office, he has said and tweeted the ugliest statements to other politicians, women, a Gold Star family, a true American hero and former prisoner of war, a Mexican American judge (and Mexican Americans in general), minorities and the media. He has condoned violence at his rallies, told obvious lies repeatedly, and been ignorant of history and established fact.

Meanwhile, he has managed to say nice things about Joe Arpaio, the convicted former Arizona sheriff; Nazis and Klansmen; Kim Jong Un; and Vladimir Putin.

At this point, it’s difficult to come up with dishonorable behavior that the president has not done — but don’t think he won’t outdo himself, because he can’t stop being Trump.

Jeffrey Michael Bolden, Washington

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