The ex-wrestling legend has called on the president’s son to join the military and become one of the US armed forces’ tallest combatants in the process (Picture: Ken Cedeno/UPI/Shutterstock)
Jesse Ventura has taken aim at Donald Trump in typically blunt fashion, calling on his youngest son to enlist in the United States military while branding the President a ‘draft-dodging coward’.
The former wrestler and Minnesota governor made the remarks during an appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored, where discussion quickly turned to the US and Israel’s conflict with Iran.
Drawing on his experience as a Vietnam veteran, the 74 year-old argued that leaders should be willing to put their own families on the line before sending others into battle. He suggested that anything less undermines the moral case for war.
‘There’s a simple thing as a leader, and you know this having been in the military. Trump wouldn’t know it because he’s a draft-dodging coward. But anyway it’s this: a war is justified if you’re willing to send your kids. Because how can you send somebody else’s kids to a war if you won’t send your own?’
A fringe character on the American political scene, Jesse Ventura made the somewhat out-there suggestion on Piers Morgan’s latest TV show Uncensored (Picture: Piers Morgan Uncensored)
The WWE legend then turned his focus specifically to Barron Trump, urging the 20 year-old to take action. He said the Trump family has no recent history of military service and challenged Barron to change that.
‘So I’m calling right now for Barron Trump, Donald Trump’s son [to enlist]. After all, he’s had three wives, he’s had kids by each wife, and nobody’s ever served in the military. To my knowledge, a Trump in the last 100 years has never done military service.’
Jesse made a direct appeal to Barron (Picture Bradlee Rutledge/WWE via Getty Images)
He followed up with a direct appeal to POTUS’ youngest. The message was pretty blunt and aimed squarely at the family’s lack of military service.
‘Well Barron, you can change that. Enlist in the United States military right now, do something your father didn’t have the courage to do, do something your father didn’t have the patriotism to do.’
Trump has five children from three relationships, including Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric with Ivana, Tiffany with Marla Maples, and Barron with Melania. None of his kids have served in the US military.
Donald Jr. and Eric instead took on senior roles within the Trump Organisation when their father became president back in 2017. Since then their focus has been on business rather than any kind of public service.
Jesse Ventura has been a controversial figure in US politics since 1991 when he was elected mayor of the Minnesotan city of Brooklyn Park (Picture: WWE/Getty Images)
Ventura argued that the absence of Trump military service stretches back further than the current generation as well. He pointed to Trump’s own history, including his time at the New York Military Academy.
Despite attending the academy during his teenage years, Trump didn’t actually serve in the armed forces at any point. He avoided the Vietnam War draft due to bone spurs, a move which has long drawn criticism from opponents. Especially when talk of anything military arises.
Ventura also referenced Trump’s father Fred and grandfather Friedrich, neither of whom served either. Friedrich emigrated to the United States in 1885 after failing to complete mandatory military service over in Germany.
For Ventura, that record reinforces his wider point about responsibility and sacrifice. He went on to compare it with his own family background, where he explained how military service is the norm.
‘I wanna see a Trump in the military,’ Ventura continued. ‘Everybody in my family has served, so I think I can say that with all due confidence.’
It seems fairly unlikely that Barron will want to take Jesse up on his suggestion to put himself in the line of fire (Picture: Douliery Olivier/Rex/ABACA/Shutterstock)
He then made another pointed call to action, once again singling out Barron. ‘Come on Trumps! Don’t just reap the benefits of this free world, somebody put on the uniform… and that’s you, Barron.’
Ventura also dismissed claims that Barron’s height might prevent him from serving, as has been suggested by some. He pointed to a well-known example from the world of sport to counter that particular excuse.
‘I heard the excuse that Barron might be too tall. Well, David Robinson served on active duty, he was 7ft tall before he ever went to the San Antonio Spurs basketball team…’
Should a president only embark on war if they’re willing to send their offspring off to fight in it? (Picture: Getty Images)
The 2024 Trump assassination
The interview later shifted into even more controversial territory, with Ventura revisiting claims about the 2024 assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. He suggested there were aspects of the incident that didn’t quite add up.
Piers Morgan noted that Trump stood up after being shot and repeated the phrase, ‘Fight, fight, fight.’ Ventura responded with visible scepticism, suggesting a hoax and conspiracy was carried out.
‘Oh yeah, right, right, right,’ Ventura replied before saying, ‘You ever hear of a “blade job”?’
In wrestling terms, a ‘blade job’ refers to deliberately cutting oneself to produce blood for effect. The comparison appeared to catch Morgan off guard. ‘A blade job? What, you think it was fake?’
Jesse claims that the 2024 attempt on Trump’s life was ‘a blade job’ fake (Picture: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Ventura stopped short of making a clear claim but pointed to what he sees as some rather telling missing evidence. He questioned the lack of visible injury. ‘I don’t know,’ he remarked. ‘Where’s his scar today?’
Morgan pushed back, noting that a member of the crowd behind Trump died in the incident. Ventura rejected the idea that the episode made Trump heroic. ‘Come on, Piers, you’re gonna tell me this guy is a hero?’
When Morgan said that he believed Trump had in fact shown bravery, Ventura dismissed the suggestion out of hand.
‘Well, then he accomplished what he wanted out of you guys,’ he scoffed.
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