The Trump campaign released a statement Thursday by disabled veteran Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) criticizing the progressive group VoteVets over an ad the Soros-backed group plans to run in Western Pennsylvania television markets during Sunday's NFL NFC Championship game between the Detroit Lions. and San Francisco 49ers (Fox, 6:30 p.m. EST) Mast described VoteVets as “a shill group funded by liberal elites” … “recycling this fake news” from false quotes critical of soldiers that were wrongly attributed to President Trump.
The VoteVets ad features three Gold Star parents criticizing Trump, citing the false report in which he called fallen troops “losers”:
New ad: Trump describes our war dead as “fools” and “losers.”
But know this – he's the real loser.
These Gold Star families stand up, and their message is clear: courage and sacrifice are beyond Trump's comprehension.
Inexcusable disrespect.#GoldStarVotes Against Trump pic.twitter.com/0jZTzeSQt4
– Footevets (@footevits) January 26, 2024
Mast, an Army veteran, lost both legs and his left index finger to an improvised explosive device while serving in Afghanistan in 2010.
Another big win for @RealDonaldTrump In New Hampshire tonight! We're on track for an America First victory in November!
📷: The Veterans for Trump coalition launched in New Hampshire last year. pic.twitter.com/K1ohkw7t4m
– Brian Mast (@BrianMastFL) January 24, 2024
Statement from Congressman Brian Mast, National President of Veterans for Trump
Responding to false VoteVets attacks
After seeing reports of a baseless attack ad against President Trump by VoteVets, a group funded by liberal elites, I felt compelled to point out that this position is as despicable as it is ridiculous.
First and foremost, he cites a debunked allegation debunked by senior officials who were in the room years ago. The recycling of this fake news is compounded by exploiting the pain of family members of fallen soldiers.
Biden and globalists of both parties recklessly drag America's sons and daughters into endless wars, then leave them vulnerable to attacks abroad and terrible treatment here at home. Biden's failed withdrawal from Afghanistan has led to chaos and disastrous results for our forces, and his weakness among today's world leaders makes us more vulnerable than at any time in our nation's history.
As President, Donald Trump passed the largest overhaul of the Department of Veterans Affairs in a generation, including VA accountability and veterans' choice, and fired 11,500 federal workers who failed to give our wounded veterans the quality, timely care they deserve.
President Trump secured record funding for mental health services and expanded access to telehealth and suicide prevention resources. During his first term, President Trump successfully reduced homelessness among veterans, increased educational benefits, and achieved a record low unemployment rate among veterans.
As a veteran, a member of Congress, and President of the Veterans for Trump coalition, I know that with Donald Trump back in the White House, our troops will be safer, our vets will be respected, and our world will be safer.
The Hill reported on the VoteVets ad buy (excerpt):
The six-figure ad buy will run in the Pittsburgh, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Harrisburg markets.
In 2020, Biden won Pennsylvania, turning the battleground state blue by a margin of about 1.2 percent.
This is VoteVets' first ad buy this election cycle. The group was one of the biggest spenders in the 2022 cycle, dropping $24,473,501 on independent spending, according to money in politics watchdog OpenSecrets.
Politico reported in 2019 that VoteVets is being funded by George Soros' Open Society Foundation: “The Soros Foundation funds VoteVets, a group of left-leaning veterans…” Breitbart also reported, in 2020, that Soros is funding VoteVets.
