President Donald Trump on Monday hugged a retired Army veteran of the war in Afghanistan who had been wounded by a bomb in 2011, the New York Post reports.
Retired Army Capt. Luis Avila sang "God Bless America" at the ceremony celebrating Gen. Mark Milley's becoming chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. After he finished singing, Trump walked over to Avila, who uses a wheelchair, and gave him a hug, drawing in the captain's wife as well.
"No enemy on Earth can match the awesome might of the American Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and the United States Marines," Trump said in a speech, according to CNBC.
"We have spent $2.5 trillion, far more than this country has ever thought of spending. But we had to have a modern, great military with the most magnificent and the finest machinery, planes, boats, ships, weapons of all kinds," he added.
"We will remain the world's premier fighting force, respected by our friends and feared by our adversaries," Milley said at the ceremony, thanking Trump for his leadership and the outgoing chairman, Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford.
"I know I have big shoes to fill. I have known Joe Dunford throughout my career, served with him in combat, and I consider him a close personal friend — a friendship forged with the unbreakable bonds of combat that only shared sacrifice can produce," Milley said.
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