'Bone spurs finally gone?': Twitter furiously mocks Trump for 'finally making it' to Vietnam
Twitter was quick to bring up Trump's deferments and bone spurs excuse in light of his trip to Vietnam.
US President Donald Trump visited Vietnam this week for a summit on the fourth leg of his 12-day maiden tour of Asia, and Twitter users immediately responded with the same joke. The trip marked Trump's first visit to Vietnam as president and immediately triggered a slew of sharp comments and jokes over the fact that Trump never served in the US Army despite being eligible during the Vietnam War.
Trump had obtained multiple deferments – four due to educational purposes and one for alleged bone spurs in his feet.
The president arrived in Vietnam to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit and marked Veterans Day (11 November) by spending time with several American veterans of the Vietnam War. About 58,000 Americans were killed in the war.
Trump also signed a proclamation commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, as part of the 13-year long celebration honoring the troops.
"We just want to thank you and all of the thousands and thousands and all of the people that served with you and in all of the other wars," Trump said and called the veterans "great, great warriors".
"You are the heroes who fulfill your duty to our nation. And each of you, under the most difficult conditions, did what you had to do, and you did it well," Trump said.
"They are definitely tough, smart cookies. We like them," Trump said of the group of veterans in attendance. "I think they like me too. I'm not sure, but I think they do."
Naturally, Twitter was quick to bring up Trump's deferments and bone spurs excuse in light of his trip to Vietnam saying Trump "finally made it" to the country nearly 50 years after avoiding the draft.
"I'm surprised the President was able to make it to Vietnam on this trip, considering his debilitating bone spurs," one Twitter user wrote. Another said: "Careful walking in case those bone spurs flare up."
Others chose to focus on the "irony" of Trump commemorating Veterans Day in Vietnam surrounded by a group of veterans who fought in the war.
"2.7 million Americans served in the Vietnam War. My father was one of them," one person wrote. "He didn't have bone spurs, but he and his fellow troops had their innocence ripped from them and they'd do it again in the name of patriotism. F you & your bone spurs, pitiful @POTUS."
"Careful walking in case those bone spurs flare up," one person tweeted.
Only took 50 years and 5 deferments to get you to go there.
— Dennis Machart (@DenMac79) November 10, 2017
Da Nang: @POTUS Trump meets with U.S. Vietnam veterans, after signing a proclamation commemorating the 50th Anniv of the Vietnam War. pic.twitter.com/bm0sCCJOUS
— Dan Scavino Jr. (@Scavino45) November 11, 2017
Donald Trump is spending Veteran’s Day in #Vietnam without a hint of irony.#VeteransDay
— Take Ivanka to Work (@IvankaToWorkDay) November 10, 2017
How does a draft dodger look at a veteran in the eye and say what came to mind, phoney dude @realDonaldTrump
— Ralph Nakamoto (@Ralphtoo) November 10, 2017
Hope you don't have any Vietnam flashbacks to all those frat parties & intramural badminton at Penn.
— Billy Baldwin (@BillyBaldwin) November 10, 2017
The PTSD must be unbearable.#bunions https://t.co/gIsDrn7aik
You finally made it to Vietnam! Hope your bone spurs won't stop you from meeting with your boss! #TrumpRussia
— Garrick Schermer (@GDSchermer) November 10, 2017
Congratulations Donald J. Trump...
— Brian Krassenstein🬠(@krassenstein) November 10, 2017
After 46 years of suffering from a minor case of bone spurs, you have finally made it to Vietnam.
And what do you use the momentous occasion to do?
Dress like your Puppet master and idol.... pic.twitter.com/mAZLcRqb9b
On the day we're observing Veterans Day, Trump is in Vietnam. Can't make it up.
— Mike McFeely (@MikeMcFeelyWDAY) November 10, 2017
“Donald Goes to Vietnam†pic.twitter.com/QkGet1QHh3
— Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) November 10, 2017
Trump's Vietnam War was avoiding STDs while sleeping around. These are his own words.
— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) November 10, 2017
— Secular Talk (@KyleKulinski) November 10, 2017
— Gail Giordano (@Gaily39078) November 10, 2017
Bones spurs finally gone?
— Judy Brown (@jubrown75) November 10, 2017
What a difference 52 years make.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) November 10, 2017
-US Marines arrive near Da Nang, Vietnam, March 1965.
-Pres Trump arrives in Da Nang, 2017. pic.twitter.com/733WNktSLQ
Those bone spurs finally healed up?
— Jason Lei Howden (@JasonLeiHowden) November 10, 2017
First time you've set foot there?
— Adam Goldberg (@TheAdamGoldberg) November 11, 2017
Donald Trump finally made it to Vietnam - not as a war hero - but as a traitor who betrayed his Country to win an election.
— PROUD RESISTER 👊 (@ProudResister) November 10, 2017
We must give President Trump a lot of credit. Bone spur and all, he has finally made it to Vietnam!
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) November 10, 2017
"They are definitely tough, smart cookies. If it weren't for those painful bone spurs, I would have been there with them."@POTUS Draft Dodger meets with Vietnam veterans 50 years after the end of the Vietnam war.
— Classless Skip (@MenaceSocietyUT) November 10, 2017
All the bone spur jokes
— Jim Hoover (@JimHoover17) November 11, 2017
Trump finally visiting Vietnam on Veterans Day is Oliver Stone levels of on-the-nose.
— John Ross Bowie (@JohnRossBowie) November 10, 2017
