WILLIAM BRANGHAM: The
president is back home
in Washington, after his
surprise visit yesterday
with American troops
stationed in Iraq.
While the service members
clearly seemed happy
with the commander in
chief's visit, others
are raising questions about
some of the president's
political rhetoric on the trip.
Our White House correspondent,
Yamiche Alcindor, is here.
Hi, Yamiche.
YAMICHE ALCINDOR: Hi.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM: So, last
night, when we knew about the
president's trip, we talked
a little bit about the
geopolitical implications
of the trip and how
Iraq is rebuilding.
But we wanted to talk about
the politics, because, as I
said, the president struck a
pretty partisan political
tone when he was
speaking to the troops.
Can you tell us a little
bit about what he said?
YAMICHE ALCINDOR: This
was essentially a Trump
2020 campaign rally
held in front of troops
in Iraq.
The president was attacking
Democrats and accusing them
of not wanting border security
and wanting open borders.
The president called out by name
Nancy Pelosi, who is, of course,
Representative Nancy Pelosi.
She is likely going to
be the speaker of the
House when Democrats
take control of the House
in 2019.
And the president also accused
immigrants of being criminals.
He said that they're
going to be bring drugs
and human trafficking
into the United States.
I want to play some video
that really encapsulates
what the president's
political message was
to the troops.
DONALD TRUMP, President of the
United States: You know, when
you think about it, you're
fighting for borders in other
countries, and they don't want
to fight, the Democrats, for
the border of our country.
It doesn't make a lot of sense.
I don't know if you folks are
aware of what's happening.
We want to have strong
borders in the United States.
The Democrats don't want
to let us have strong
borders, only for one reason.
You know why?
Because I want it.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Is it unusual
for a president to take such
a political tone when they're
standing in front of American
service men and women?
YAMICHE ALCINDOR:
It's very unusual.
The president, President
Trump, did something very
different from his predecessors.
One, he went to the
troops in Iraq a lot later
in his presidency than
other presidents have
in the past.
And this is usually
neutral territory.
This is not where you bring up
political party differences.
Usually, presidents have talked
about thanking the troops and
talking about the American
mission as a whole.
President Obama had gone to
both Iraq and Afghanistan
within the first two years of
his presidency.
President George W. Bush
also went to Iraq pretty
early in his presidency.
So the president here was
-- again, his schedule
was different from other
presidents, but also
his tone and his
message was different.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM: The troops
clearly seemed to love
having the president there.
But it's hard to overlook the
fact this is coming in the
midst of the shutdown of the
government and amidst this
very controversial resignation
of his defense secretary, Jim
Mattis.
So what is your sense of what
the president sees as the
upside of this trip for him?
YAMICHE ALCINDOR: The political
upside is, the optics are
good for the president and
for the first lady.
This is a president that's
dealing with an ongoing
government shutdown.
This is a president
that is dealing with the
defense secretary leaving,
but also a revolving
door at the White House, with
all sorts of people, including
the chief of staff, leaving.
This is also a president
who is dealing with the
Mueller investigation.
In 2019, likely, Robert Mueller
will be issuing some sort of
report that's going to change
his presidency, and really
impact the way that he can
govern in this country.
So, with all that going on,
the president wants to be
seen as someone who's being a
commander in chief,
who's taking charge, who
is supporting troops.
And the images of him signing
"Making America Great" Hats in
Iraq are good things for him.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM: The president
also in his comments to the
troops said something that
they had to have
known wasn't true.
And this was him talking
about the pay raises
they have been given.
Let's take a listen
to what he had to say.
DONALD TRUMP: You just got
one of the biggest pay raises
you have ever received, unless
you don't want it.
Does anybody here...
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
DONALD TRUMP: Is anybody
here willing to give up the
big pay raise you just got?
Raise your hand, please.
I don't see too many hands.
OK.
Don't give it up.
It's great.
You know what?
Nobody deserves it more.
You haven't gotten one
in more than 10 years,
more than 10 years.
And we got you a big one.
I got you a big one.
I got you a big one.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM:
How true is that?
YAMICHE ALCINDOR: The
president simply is not
telling the truth there.
Two things.
The president saying that
it's been over a decade since
service members and troops have
gotten a pay raise,
that's not true.
The service members and
troops have been getting
pay races every year
since at least the last
decade.
It's usually been
around 1 percent.
The president is also
saying that they're going
to get a 10 percent raise.
Reporting shows that there's
going to be a 2.6 percent raise.
It's a lot different, about
7 percent difference there.
So the president is
misleading the troops here.
And this is a pattern
for this president.
When he gets in front
of big crowds, he likes
to tell falsehoods.
He likes to exaggerate things.
And, here, he's doing just that.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Yamiche
Alcindor, thank you so much.
YAMICHE ALCINDOR: Thanks.