The fact that President Trump failed to show for a meeting earlier this month that he had scheduled with a group of veterans is raising a few eyebrows, especially in light of his self-professed support for veterans. The group had arrived at the White House at the appointed time in the hopes of discussing a variety of issues of concern to veterans. Instead of being greeted by President Trump, the meeting was delegated to staffer Omarosa Manigault.
Manigault, who is best known for her stint on President Trump’s reality show The Apprentice, was the most senior staffer present for the meeting. According to various reports of the meeting, Manigault assured those in attendance that her time as a lieutenant chaplain in the California State Military Reserve qualified her to preside over the meeting.
Manigault’s presence in the meeting met with mixed reactions. According to one veteran who wished to remain anonymous, “When Omarosa was introduced, the room collectively gasped. There were people there missing limbs, and she was once a chaplain with the militia.” Several other attendees said the meeting was a positive experience and that they were pleased with President Trump’s appointment of David Shulkin to head the Department of Veterans Affairs.
There is no official word on why President Trump did not make the meeting.