President Donald Trump is targeting U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal again after Connecticut’s senior U.S. senator grilled U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday during a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing.
Trump called for an investigation in a Truth Social post into long-discussed allegations that Blumenthal lied about his military record in 2008. Trump previously brought up the allegations during his first term as a way to rebut Blumenthal’s frequent criticisms. Blumenthal has in the past publicly addressed the issue, which arose following a New York Times article.
The article refers to a video in which Blumenthal told a group of veterans in Norwalk in March 2008, “We have learned something important since the days that I served in Vietnam …”
Just weeks after the murder of Charlie Kirk prompted calls to tone down rhetoric and eschew political violence, Trump wrote, “Sanctimonious Richard “Da Nang Dick” Blumenthal, perhaps the biggest “joke” in the United States Senate, is at it again! … perhaps the greatest phony in the history of the United States Senate. He should be allowed to speak no longer!”
Trump calls for an investigation into Blumenthal’s statements about serving in Vietnam, saying the senator detailed his time in the jungle and long battles — something Blumenthal has not done.
“He would talk about his life in the military in almost every speech, in particular the death defying dangers he faced in his many years “fight for freedom” while in Vietnam. He stated that “the battles were violent and long, but there was no going back” – And then it happened, Blumenthal was found out to be a FRAUD. The soldiers in his so-called “platoon” came forward and said that they had no idea who this guy was. He was revealed, broke down and admitted, tears flowing from his eyes, that he LIED, a Whopper, one that lasted 20 year,” Trump said in Truth Social post.
Blumenthal said Trump was just deflecting.
“Donald Trump is lashing out because he doesn’t want to answer questions about why he’s directing DOJ to prosecute his political opponents, drop lawsuits against corporations trying to screw over American consumers, cover-up one of his top staffers accepting a bribe in a bag, or slash millions in law enforcement funding,” Blumenthal said in a statement to the Courant Wednesday. “I must have really gotten under his skin. I’m proud of my military service. I served. The people of Connecticut have always known my record and they know me, which is why they’ve elected me to the Senate three times.”
Blumenthal, who served six years in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves during Vietnam but was never deployed, did not break down or cry or admit that he lied when the controversy came to light 15 years ago.
Rather, on the day after the story broke, a Courant article reports, Blumenthal held a press conference at the Veterans of Foreign Wars hall in West Hartford, flanked by veterans from various branches of the service.
“On a few occasions, I have misspoken about my service, and I regret that,” he said. “But I will not allow anyone to take a few misplaced words and impugn my record of service to my country. I served in the United States Marine Corps Reserves, and I am proud of it.”
He later sent this statement to the Courant:
“At times when I have sought to honor veterans, I have not been as clear or precise as I should have been about my service in the Marine Corps Reserves,” Blumenthal said in that statement. “I have firmly and clearly expressed regret and taken responsibility for my words. I have made mistakes and I am sorry. I truly regret offending anyone. I will always champion the cause of Connecticut’s and our nation’s veterans.”
It was Bondi who first revived the issue when Blumenthal questioned her about controversial corporate mergers, staff firings and her former law firm into which Blumenthal and several other Democratic senators requested an investigation.
“Senator Blumenthal, I cannot believe that you would accuse me of impropriety when you lied about your military service. You lied, you admitted you lied to be elected a U.S. senator,” Bondi said, talking over him.
“I am a career prosecutor. Don’t you ever challenge my integrity,” she continued as Blumenthal tries to get her to answer the question.
Bondi’s onslaught on Blumenthal was one of many during the hearing, in which she frequently refused to answer questions.
Gov. Ned Lamont when asked Wednesday about Republican criticisms of Blumenthal and stolen valor said, “Look, stop it. I’ve watched some of these hearings, back and forth. They’re yelling at each other. This is no way to run a government. This shutdown is another example of dysfunction, starting in the White House.”
Courant reporter Christopher Keating contributed to this story.
