MS NOW anchor Erielle Reshef drew criticism on Memorial Day after using a discussion about America’s fallen service members to press New York Times reporter Peter Baker about President Donald Trump and the ongoing conflict with Iran.
Advertisement “I want to talk a little bit about the fallen men and women, the treasure that we’ve lost during this war in Iran. What message does the president need to deliver today to the families who have lost loved ones and to those who are deployed in the region? ” Reshef asked.
Baker responded by suggesting Trump needed to reassure military families and defend his handling of the conflict.
Advertisement “Well, I think that what they would want to hear is that he has their back, that he understands what they’re going through,” Baker said
“Well, I think that what they would want to hear is that he has their back, that he understands what they’re going through,” Baker said.
He then referenced the casualty count while comparing the conflict to earlier wars.
“You know, it has not been a war with significant casualties in the sense of the Iraq war, the Afghanistan war, 13 or 14 Americans, service members have died, a number of others have been injured,” Baker said.
Advertisement Baker then took aim at Trump over a recent remark
Baker then took aim at Trump over a recent remark.
“And the president just the other day said, well, I have had almost no casualties. It sounded as if he was dismissive of that,” Baker said.
He continued by arguing Trump needed to make his message clearer to military families.
He needs to, I think — I imagine he would want to make clear to them that he understands for even the relatively small number compared to previous wars, that it’s heartbreaking for a family,” Baker said
“And it’s, you know, the ultimate sacrifice for these members of the armed services to lose their lives in service of their country. ”
Baker also revived past allegations frequently leveled against Trump regarding his views on military service.
This is a president, of course, in the past has been accused of dismissing military service, has been quoted saying that veterans and people who served were losers and so forth,” Baker said
“He’s denied that. But there’s, you know, a lot of history there. ”
Baker argued that the current international situation made presidential messaging even more important.
And in this time of war, a time when Americans are on station in the Middle East, and at any moment could find themselves under fire, I think it’s a particularly fraught moment and a particularly important moment for them to hear from their commander in chief,” he said
“Not just that he understands their service, but he’s giving them a mission that they can succeed at. ”
The exchange quickly drew criticism from Trump supporters online, who argued Memorial Day should be focused on honoring those who gave their lives in service to the nation rather than serving as another opportunity for political attacks.
The segment also reignited debate over media coverage of Trump’s military comments, an issue that has repeatedly surfaced throughout both of his presidential terms
Trump has consistently rejected accusations that he disrespects service members and has often highlighted military achievements under his leadership, including rebuilding the armed forces, operations against ISIS leadership, and expanded veterans reforms.
The White House has also repeatedly defended Trump’s comments when critics claim he minimized casualties or spoke insensitively about military matters.
Memorial Day, observed annually to honor American service members who died in military service, often becomes a focal point for broader national conversations about war, sacrifice, and presidential leadership
This year was no different, though critics of the MSNBC segment argued the focus shifted too quickly from remembrance to politics.
