The website for a U.S. Army base in Germany provided a list of available German food aid services, highlighting the fallout experienced by many as the GOP’s government shutdown rages on.
After the listing was first reported—raising questions about why military members and their families would need these resources—the information was scrubbed from the website. The Army claimed that the list was intended for “German employees” on the base.
But it should be noted that, under current Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Department of Defense has often misled the public on matters both trivial and consequential. It has also embraced partisanship and censorship of Pentagon reporters.
A cartoon by Pedro Molina.
Thanks to the GOP shutdown, there has been a spike in military families seeking aid from food banks. Cori Kauk, executive director of Bremerton Foodline in Washington, told Stars and Stripes that families had a “fear of scarcity” and “worries about being on the edge financially.”
The shutdown has also increased concerns about military pay.
The Trump administration has claimed that it has the power to move funds allocated for other programs toward service members, but that is only a temporary fix at best. President Donald Trump also announced that one of his billionaire backers, Timothy Mellon, donated $130 million to fund military salaries, which not only might be illegal but would also barely cover them.
The food insecurity and pay issues fall in line with Trump’s track record of disregard for service members and veterans, who have seen their health care degraded by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency’s cuts.
The current shutdown is the longest in U.S. history, with the previous record also being set by Trump during his first term. And with no end in sight, Trump has instead focused on building a golden ballroom at the White House and hosting a “Great Gatsby”-themed party.
Meanwhile, voters turned out in droves Tuesday to express their dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs, electing Democrats at all levels of government across the nation.
No wonder Trump’s panicking.
