Multiple veterans with Bronze Stars under their belts ripped President Joe Biden for “insulting” comments he made Saturday directed toward Democratic Colorado Rep. Jason Crow.
Biden reportedly jumped on a Zoom call with moderate Democrats to address their concerns that he might not be able to win the election. The president grew enraged when Crow, a veteran and Bronze Star recipient, suggested Americans weren’t confident in Biden’s national security credentials, Politico reported. Biden told Crow, “Tell me something you’ve never done with your Bronze Star like my son,” according to a Puck News source.
Rob O’Neill, a former U.S. Navy Seal who holds four Bronze Stars with valor, told the Daily Caller he thinks that Biden’s late son, Beau Biden, would not have liked that.
“The President shouldn’t be saying that in a meeting, because it’s insulting to every veteran,” O’Neill said. “I never met Beau Biden, but I think, as a — he was a JAG, but he was a vet — I don’t think he would approve of the way his dad is using his service like that.” (RELATED: ‘Typical Washington, D.C. Nonsense’: Veterans Sound Off On Pentagon Proposal To Force-Feed Troops Lab-Grown Meat)
[Biden told Rep. Jason Crow] “‘Tell me something you’ve never done with your Bronze Star like my son,’ this member of Congress told me. ‘Had the assassination attempt not occurred an hour later, I imagine 50 people on that Zoom were ready to come out publicly against him'” pic.twitter.com/u0XaIdmIg1
— Nick Field (@nick_field90) July 17, 2024
The Bronze Star is an award given to members in the Armed Forces who have distinguished themselves by meritorious or heroic achievements or service. To distinguish and justify the differences between each member’s accomplishments during duty, members awarded due to heroism receive a bronze “V” to identify valor, according to the Air Force’s Personnel Center.
“I do enjoy banter on social media, and I like to mess with people,” O’Neill continued. “They mess with me, and I take it with a grain of salt. But this is an example of a man with a mental issue, dementia or whatever it is, and he’s yelling at someone about something he doesn’t know.”
He also:
->interrupted Chrissy Houlahan
->yelled at Jason Crow for asking whether the American people should sleep well at night because of national security.
->Then got off the call before Mike Quigley — who has called on him to resign — could ask a question.
“staff says I…
— Rachael Bade (@rachaelmbade) July 13, 2024
Veteran Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, who has a bronze star and a commendation for valor, also took issue with Biden’s remarks.
“I find it very ironic that President Biden would defend his foreign policy decisions by criticizing an Army Ranger from his own political party.” Scheller told the Caller. “Especially since during the last debate, President Biden said, ‘I’m the only President this century, this decade, that doesn’t have any troops dying anywhere in the world like [Trump] did.’ Maybe he can’t remember any of the military members killed by his poor decisions because they didn’t have a bronze star.”
During Crow’s time in active duty, he served as a platoon leader in the 82nd Airborne Division and then transferred to the 75th Ranger Regiment. He was also deployed to Afghanistan twice. Crow was awarded his Bronze Star with valor for his heroic actions during the Battle of Samawah, according to the congressman’s website.
Beau Biden, President Biden’s late son, achieved his Bronze Star for his meritorious achievements while on duty with the National Guard, which is different than being rewarded with valor. Beau served one year in Iraq as a JAG (Judge Advocate General) for the 261st Signal Brigade in the Delaware Army National Guard, a Syracuse University biography reads.
While in Iraq, Beau never led any troops on combat missions but did serve in a combat zone for seven months, according to Newsweek. His JAG officer role was mainly focused around legal issues and rules of engagement.
“I wouldn’t wear a Bronze Star without valor” O’Neill said, “I have four with valor that I do wear.”
Biden brought up Beau’s Bronze star during a visit to Camp Hale in October 2022 during a speech on protecting and conserving iconic outdoor spaces in America, stating that Beau had a Bronze Star and lost his life in Iraq, according to the White House.
Beau, however, did not die in Iraq. He died of brain cancer in 2015 at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, The Associated Press (AP) reported.
In another speech in Florida in November 2022 regarding social security, medicare and lowering prescription drug costs, Biden brought up Beau’s service again, saying his son had a Bronze Star and died due to being exposed to burn pits and toxic chemicals in Iraq.
Biden’s claims of the link between brain cancer and burn pits are exaggerated, FactCheck.org reported in 2019.
“Beau Biden died of brain cancer, and then Joe Biden, as the President, says he died because of the burn pits. Beau Biden was a JAG, an officer, a lawyer. He was not even near the burn pits” said O’Neill. “Officers aren’t out there burning crap. The enlisted guys are. So he was nowhere near it, and he got a Bronze Star for showing up.”
Biden has frequently criticized former President Donald Trump for allegedly calling American veterans “suckers and losers,” but those comments are unsubstantiated.
As November draws closer, more and more Democrats are pushing Biden to exit the Presidential race.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer spoke with President Biden in Rehoboth Beach on Saturday where he urged Biden to step out of the race, saying it would be the best thing for him to do, a source close to both men told ABC News.
“Leader Schumer conveyed the views of his caucus,” Schumer’s spokesperson told ABC regarding the conversation.
Democratic California Rep. Nanci Pelosi also had a call with Biden, telling him that polling shows he would not be able to beat Trump in November and could destroy the Democrats’ chances of winning, four sources familiar told CNN.
Biden pushed back against Pelosi and said that he had seen polls that show he could win, a source told CNN.
After the CNN presidential debate in late June, 74% of voters believe Biden is too old for the job, according a New York Times/Sienna poll released in July.
“I guarantee Joe Biden doesn’t know what a bronze star without a V means, and it’s just sad,” O’Neill added. “And he’s in charge, by the way.”
