Former President Donald Trump slammed former Secretary of State Colin Powell and showed envy that the media on Monday covered his ‘death so beautifully’.
Trump mentioned various ‘mistakes’ made by the late Powell, who was the US’s first black secretary of state who died of a coronavirus-related illness, in a statement on Tuesday morning.
“Wonderful to see Colin Powell, who made big mistakes on Iraq and famously, so-called weapons of mass destruction, be treated in death so beautifully by the Fake News Media,” Trump stated.
“Hope that happens to me someday.”
Powell, 84, was Secretary of State under former President George W. Bush throughout the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Powell gathered international support for invading Iraq and supplied erroneous intelligence to the UN, stating that Saddam Hussein, the then-Iraqi leader, held weapons of mass destruction.
Powell has been blamed for the Iraq War, but has also been commended for being the first black secretary of state.
Trump also criticized Powell of being a ‘Republican In Name Only,’ a disparaging term for Republicans who allegedly act like Democrats in the legislature.
“He was a classic RINO, if even that, always being the first to attack other Republicans,” Trump stated.
“He made plenty of mistakes, but anyway, may he rest in peace!”
Powell, who favored President Joe Biden, strongly criticized Trump, especially around the deadly January 6 Capitol riot. After the insurrection, Powell stated he could ‘no longer call myself a fellow Republican’.
Maggie Haberman of the New York Times’ Washington bureau was among many Twitter users who called out Trump’s rather tone deaf comment.
“Given the chance to be gracious about someone’s death, or say nothing at all, Trump takes a decidedly different route,’ tweeted Haberman, adding, “And of course it’s larded in envy about coverage.”
Given the chance to be gracious about someone’s death, or say nothing at all, Trump takes a decidedly different route pic.twitter.com/HMgFAiiRcK
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) October 19, 2021
Haberman went on to share ‘in contrast’, former Vice President Mike Pence’s remarks on Powell that he tweeted on Monday morning.
In contrast > https://t.co/ySdf7ATpQt
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) October 19, 2021
“Colin Powell was a true American Patriot who served our Nation with distinction in uniform, as a four-star general, National Security Advisor, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and as 65th Secretary of State,” Pence said. “Karen and I are praying for his wife, Alma, and the entire Powell family.”
Image Credit: Getty
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