U.S. servicemembers at Fort Bragg in North Carolina appeared to express solidarity with Donald Trump during his speech at the military base on Tuesday, booing as the president attacked leading Democrats and the media.
The boos erupted as Trump, without evidence, accused California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass of having “paid troublemakers, agitators and insurrectionists” to protest his administration’s ongoing immigration raids. Trump has deployed thousands of National Guard troops in response to the protests, a reaction that’s been dubbed as massively overblown by critics.
Boos also rang out when Trump lashed out at what he called “the fake news” and media outlets that report on him critically.
The reaction from the troops sparked anger on social media.
Critics slammed the divisive, partisan rhetoric as unbecoming during an address to the military:
