It’s been 50 years ago since the Vietnam War ended. The Vietnamese are celebrating. The wounds are healing. The U.S. has an embassy in Vietnam, we trade with Vietnam, we had been financing a program to help Vietnamese find unexploded land mines and deal with issues related to Agent Orange. Many American soldiers have returned to help with the reconciliation efforts.
Until the Trump administration. The Ambassador to Vietnam, Mr. Marc Knapper, son of a Vietnam Vet, had planned to attend the ceremony on April 29. Delegates from other U.S. Allies, including Australia, are attending as well.
The Trump Administration ordered the Ambassador to skip the celebration. No one is sure why, since the relationship between the U.S. and Vietnam had been strong, and both countries have an interest in Vietnam keeping some distance from China.
Speculation is that Trump does not want to call attention to the war. Remember he didn’t go. Remember, he paid a doctor to say that he had bone spurs. He did not want to go because he opposed the war for moral or political reasons. He did not want to go because he was a chicken shit and because it would have interfered with his plans to stay in the states and make money.
He has always been a grifter, always been dishonest, always been a little coward. Nothing has changed, but he hates when people are reminded of it.
So I’m reminding you.
Some material in this post are from Damien Cave, “U.S. Tells Vietnam Envoys to Skip Events Marking 50 Years Since War’s End,” New York Times, (Apr. 23, 2025), p. A9. Calling Trump chicken shit and speculating on his motives is all mine, but I certainly don’t mind if you spread the word.
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