Former President Donald Trump was met with applause when he called U.S. military officials "some of the dumbest people" he's ever met during a campaign event in Iowa on Monday.
Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, also appeared to mock General Mark Milley, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs, during his remarks in Adel, Iowa.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan imposed a partial gag order on the former president on Monday in the federal election interference case that bars Trump from from making or posting any statements publicly targeting special counsel Jack Smith, his staff, as well as court staff and personnel in the case.
Judge Chutkan questioned Trump's lawyer during a two-hour hearing about the former president's recent social media posts, including his suggestion that Milley should be executed for "treason."
Footage of Trump's comments posted to social media site X, formerly Twitter, by journalist Aaron Rupar show Trump appearing to mimic Milley's voice during his remarks.
Trump appeared to be discussing leaving U.S. military equipment in Afghanistan and said that Milley told him: "'Sir, it would be cheaper if we left everything.' I said, where is this guy ... where does he come from?"
Trump mentioned a "brand new airplane" that he said had cost $128 million.
"I mean, you think it's cheaper to leave it than to fill it with a little—a little fuel and fly it the hell out? Even if you just fly it to Pakistan then you bring it back home, or you fly it back home. Most of them can make that journey, right?"
"Oh, it's better to leave it there," Trump said, doing an impression of Milley. The former president added: "I don't want to tell you what I had to go through with these people."
"Some of the dumbest people I've ever met in my life," Trump said and was met with applause and some laughter.
Trump in Iowa describes military officials as "some of the dumbest people I've ever met in my life" -- and gets big applause for it pic.twitter.com/UmbQQAxJwQ
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 16, 2023
Trump was likely referencing U.S. equipment left behind in Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal from the country in August 2021. More than $7.1 billion of U.S.-funded military equipment was in the hands of the Afghan government when it fell to the Taliban, according to a Department of Defense (DOD) report published last year.
However, the U.S. withdrawal took place after President Joe Biden came to office. Newsweek has reached out to DOD via email for comment.
The former president also criticized Milley during separate remarks in Iowa on Monday.
"I had a couple of guys, like this guy Milley," Trump said. "What a stupid person he is, no what a stupid person he is. Sir, he said to me, it is cheaper to leave the equipment there than to take it."
Milley, who retired as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in September, appeared to make veiled criticism of Trump last month.
"We don't take an oath to a king or a queen or to a tyrant or a dictator. And we don't take an oath to a wannabe dictator," Milley said.
"We don't take an oath to an individual. We take an oath to the Constitution, and we take an oath to the idea that is America, and we're willing to die to protect it," the general said.
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About the writer
Darragh Roche is a U.S. News Reporter based in Limerick, Ireland. His focus is reporting on U.S. politics. He has ... Read more
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