San Diego Military Community's Reaction to President's Controversial Russia Comments

President Trump answered this question: "Is Russia still targeting the U.S., Mr. President?" with "Thank you very much, no."

President Trump is facing a backlash from comments he made during a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday in which he appeared to take Putin’s word over the U.S. intelligence community. And on Wednesday, the president appeared to suggest he believes Russia no longer plans to target U.S. elections.

San Diego’s military community had a mix of reactions.

“my response and their response is it's a totally ludicrous statement,” Dr. Edward Fox of Veterans for Peace said about Trump’s latest comment. Fox fought in Vietnam.

“To think that Russia is not instigating or does not have any kind of aspirations or spy networks associated with the United States ... it's just not possible. We have the same thing with them and they have the same thing with us,” he said.

White House Press Secretary Sara Huckabee Sanders attempted to clear things up at a press conference later in the day Wednesday, saying the president was saying "no" to answering any more questions – not “no” on whether Russia is planning to target U.S. election.

Navy veteran Dan Bauer has family in the service and says the president’s words worry him. “Well, I have a nephew that's a senior master sergeant in the air force and Mr. Trump,” he began, “I think he treats the military, maybe I’m wrong, but I think he treats the military like second class.”

A woman who wished to remain anonymous said, “I think that he has a lot of great intentions to help our current force and what they need when it comes to funding, which obviously helps my husbands' job.” She is a Marine vet and her husband is still in the Corps.

She says she doesn't always agree with everything the president says, but she thinks he's on the right track brokering talks with Russia.

“I hope that he can be the voice for every American, and if that means he needs to improve the way he talks publically, regarding certain situations, I do think that's something that needs to be addressed,” she continued. She said she has no choice but to support the president, because rooting against him would be rooting against the U.S.

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