Regarding his proposed military parade, let’s let President Trump’s own words – not his presidential orations but words he used as a regular citizen – describe his deep respect and love for the military:

In a 1993 interview with Howard Stern, Trump said, “If you’re young and in this era, and if you have any guilt about not having gone to Vietnam, we have our own Vietnam – it’s called the dating game. Dating is like being in Vietnam. You’re the equivalent of a soldier going over to Vietnam.”

In a 1997 follow-up with Stern, revisiting his good fortune in having avoided sexually transmitted diseases while dodging military duty, Trump said, “It’s like Vietnam, sort of. It’s my personal Vietnam. I feel like a great and very brave soldier.”

As Trump was risking his life dating, an average of 241 U.S. soldiers died in Vietnam each month.

In contrast, from the time the first Trump became a U.S. citizen in 1898, no member of that family has ever served in the military. The first American Trump (immigrant grandfather Frederick) was even found in violation of his mandatory three-year military service duty in Germany.

But maybe “Grand Marshal” will count?

Judy Heinrich, Tryon, N.C.