Trump says he didn't serve in Vietnam because he was 'never a fan' of the conflict: 'It's not like we’re fighting against Nazi Germany'
President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that he did not serve during the Vietnam War because he was "never a fan" of the conflict.
The Republican, who got a draft deferment for bone spurs during the war, said that he is currently making up for it by bolstering the military's budget, according to reports.
Trump, while talking to British journalist Piers Morgan in an interview, said: "I was never a fan of that war. I thought it was a terrible war. I thought it was very far away."
The interview was conducted days before the 75th anniversary of D-Day on Thursday.
"You’re talking about Vietnam, and at that time nobody ever heard of the country... Today they’re doing very well," the president continued, adding that the country is "brutal on trade" and the people are "great negotiators and great business people."
The Republican said that people, at the time, were asking what is happening over there with "so many people dying."
“So I was never a fan... This isn’t like we’re fighting against Nazi Germany, we’re fighting against Hitler,” Trump said, adding that he did not march in the streets in protest or think about escaping the draft and moving to Canada.
Morgan, during the interview, asked the president if he would have liked to serve in another war, to which Trump replied with: "I would not have minded that at all, I would have been honored."
“But I think I make up for it right now... Look, $700 billion I gave last year, and this year $716 billion,” he said. “And I think I’m making up for it rapidly because we’re rebuilding our military at a level its never seen before.”
Reports state that Trump received at least five deferments during the Vietnam War, including one for bone spurs in his heels.