“They served a little back from the frontlines.”

Is that right, Donald?

He, of course, knows all about the rear echelons after avoiding the draft for the Vietnam War.

The man who claims to be in peak physical condition as he approaches his 80^th birthday, but was too frail in his youth to serve his country due to “bone spurs.”

It shouldn’t shock us. This is a man who has spent his decade on the political scene exploring the depths of public decency. But it does.

In the modern world, politicians are hard-pressed to find something to say that can generate such a visceral reaction, but the sacrifice of our war dead does just that.

It stings in a way that little else does, and having spent the morning listening to the reaction of veterans and families of those who paid the ultimate price, his comments have provoked anger and upset on a level nothing else can.

It is well understood that Donald Trump cares for nothing other than himself, and we have grown worryingly accustomed to it.

Historical alliances, democracy and sovereignty are all usurped by personal flattery, ego and gifts.

But in a nation where military service is venerated as much as any nation on Earth, ridiculing the sacrifice of those who died alongside American troops is surely a step too far?

Unfortunately not.

Some will say that he was, of course, referring to smaller NATO allies, those who perhaps didn’t “serve on the frontlines.” I don’t believe for a second that this is what he meant but lets assume he did, are we really comfortable with the narcissist-in-chief ridiculing the part they played.

Because even nations that, due to size and capability, did not deploy in a combat role still played their part. They still sacrificed six months of their lives to deploy to Camp Bastion and establish a hospital that saved the lives of American soldiers.

Those defending the President’s comments are probably the same ones who made excuses for his lackey, JD Vance, when he claimed last year that Britain and France had not fought a major war for 30 years.

The fact is, President Trump cares only for himself. Millions of Americans will kid themselves that he cares for his country, but deep down, they know that is not true.

This presidency has seen him enrich himself as no president has before, with the New York Times reporting this week that his net worth has grown by more than $1 billion during his second term in office.

Nothing is off the table for the orange idiot in his pursuit of greed, power and ego massaging. Not Greenland, not five-year-old boys on their way home from school and seemingly not even soldiers who answered America’s call and paid the ultimate price.

Conor Wilson is a former British Army Officer who served until 2024.