Winston Churchill’s Grandson Slams ‘Pathetic Inadequate’ Donald Trump For Skipping WWI Cemetery Visit
Donald Trump’s decision to skip out on a visit to a WWI cemetery because of “bad” weather has earned the scorn of Winston Churchill’s grandson, who called the American president “pathetic inadequate” for shunning the ceremony.
On Saturday, Trump announced he was skipping out on a visit the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Memorial in northern France due to “scheduling and logistical difficulties caused by the weather,” The Hill noted. That led to widespread criticism of Trump — especially as the weather was rainy but still on the warmer side — including from the grandson of Winston Churchill.
Nicholas Soames, who followed his grandfather’s footsteps into public service and is a member of Parliament in Mid Sussex, blasted Donald Trump in a message on Saturday.
“They died with their face to the foe and that pathetic inadequate @realDonaldTrump couldn’t even defy the weather to pay his respects to The Fallen,” Soames tweeted.
Trump had traveled to France to commemorate the 100th anniversary of what was then known as the Great War. He is still scheduled to attend an Armistice Day event on Sunday at the Arc de Triomphe with other world leaders, Bloomberg News noted.
Trump’s visit was controversial from the outset, with the American president blasting his French host on Twitter shortly after he arrived. Trump called out French President Emmanuel Macron for floating the idea that the EU would start its own joint army to protect against aggression from the United States or Russia. Previously, Trump had called on European countries to do more to defend themselves and rely less on the United States.
Ironically, like his American counterpart, Soames has built a reputation for being a bit boorish. He has been criticized as being sexist, and in 2005 a book detailed his allegedly improper behavior toward women.
As the Telegraph noted, Soames defended himself and said the allegations were untrue.
“It is all nonsense, it really is,” Soames said. “It is clearly trying to sell a book. I don’t recognize any of it. I have many friends in the Labour Party who are women and I think it’s absurd. I totally reject the whole thing, it’s a fiction. I find it offensive and untrue.”
Trump cancels WW1 memorial at U.S. cemetery in France due to rain https://t.co/UvFaWpM3he pic.twitter.com/3C20z8Ae9O
— Reuters (@Reuters) November 10, 2018
While Donald Trump skipped out on the visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Memorial, the White House did send chief of staff John Kelly and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford in his place.
