Trump renews attack against Dem Sen. Blumenthal

President Trump renewed his attacks on Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on Saturday for past statements about his military service during the Vietnam War.

The president wrote Saturday that Blumenthal, who has represented the state since 2011, “must talk” about his past statements concerning what Trump called his “fraudulent service in Vietnam.”

{mosads}”[F]or 12 years he told the people of Connecticut, as their Attorney General, that he was a great Marine War Hero,” the president wrote Saturday afternoon.

“Talked about his many battles of near death, but was never in Vietnam. Total Phony!” Trump added in the tweet.

Senator Richard Blumenthal must talk about his fraudulent service in Vietnam, where for 12 years he told the people of Connecticut, as their Attorney General, that he was a great Marine War Hero. Talked about his many battles of near death, but was never in Vietnam. Total Phony!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 29, 2018

Blumenthal’s office told The Hill on Saturday that the president’s tweet was “not worth dignifying with a response.”

There’s no evidence Blumenthal ever claimed to be in “battle” during the Vietnam War, but The New York Times has in the past cited numerous false statements made by the senior Connecticut senator dating back to his days as the state’s attorney general. Blumenthal obtained at least five military deferments, according to the Times, before serving in the United State Marine Corps Reserve.

Blumenthal’s characterization of his own service has differed in the past. In some statements he claimed to have served “during the Vietnam era,” while other statements are less ambiguous, including one statement in 2008 in which he said that he “served in Vietnam,” according to the Times.

Trump has previously criticized Blumenthal for his statements about his military service.

The president’s tweet came following an attack from Sen Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) during Thursday’s hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee to address sexual misconduct claims against Brett Kavanaugh, Trump’s Supreme Court nominee.

“@SenBlumenthal lied for years about serving in Vietnam, which is all you need to know about his courage & honesty,” Cotton, who is not on the committee, tweeted. “Maybe he should reconsider before questioning Judge Kavanaugh’s credibility.”