On the eve of D-Day, President Trump joined Queen Elizabeth and other world leaders on the southern shore of England to mark the beginning of the 75th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy. The Wednesday event was a somber occasion, with Trump reading from President Roosevelt’s prayer fthat he had read aloud to the nation. But NBC Nightly News seemed to grow bored with the seriousness of the event and shifted gears to bashing the President over his a recent controversies.
Anchor Lester Holt seemed to hint at the switch during his opening introduction at the top of the show:
On the eve of the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion, President Trump joined allied leaders just across the English Channel in Portsmouth, England, the starting point for the D-Day invasion. The emotional ceremony commemorating one of history's most daring military operations. And comes as President Trump made news about why he never pursued military service. Just one of the headlines from a wide-ranging interview on British TV.
The report by chief White House correspondent and MSNBC host Hallie Jackson began seriously enough, but the tone shifted after a clip of Trump appearing to talk to a WWII veteran flashed on the screen. “The President himself never joined the military, receiving draft deferments during Vietnam,” she chided.
In fact, Jackson and her colleagues spent more time slapping Trump over these controversies than they did promoting Wednesday’s event with the President. They had one minute, 21 seconds set aside for the ceremony and one minute, 31 seconds allotted for the controversies.
Jackson continued to harp on Trump’s lack of military service (click “expand”):
JACKSON: But was asked in an interview, airing today, if he wishes he had served.
TRUMP: I was not a fan of that war. That war was not something we should have been involved in.
PIERS MORGAN: Would you liked to have served generally, perhaps in another?
TRUMP: I would have minded that at all. I would have been honored but I think I make up for it right now.
Then they rehashed the days old spat between Trump and Duchess Meghan Markle, which all but quieted down (click “expand):
JACKSON: In that same sit-down President Trump again responded to Meghan Markle's criticism of him in 2016.
MEGHAN MARKLE: And with as misogyny as Trump is, and so vocal is about it.
TRUMP: She was nasty to me. And it's okay for her to be nasty. It's not good for me to be nasty to her. And I wasn't. In fact, I think she's doing very well.
JACKSON: But those comments never came up in conversation with her husband Prince Harry, according to the President.
TRUMP: I congratulated him and I think he's a terrific guy. The royal family is really nice.
Seeing an opening to push another liberal policy position, the NBC reporter then huffed about Trump’s stance on climate change. “Even after his meeting with Harry's father, Prince Charles, who’s passionate about climate change, the President continued to question the scientific consensus on the issue,” Jackson whined.
Jackson wrapped up her report and talking about Trump and Iran:
Also in that interview, the President says he would prefer talk over military action in Iran. A topic that may come up when President Trump sits down with the French President tomorrow here in France. That will be after the President delivers a speech here on these sacred grounds.
While ABC's World News Tonight and CBS Evening News did note Trump talked about his lack of military service, they didn't dwell on it like NBC did, and it didn't dominate their coverage of the event. Instead, they focused on the heoric event itself and those that both were lost that day and have lived to tell about it. The occasion didn’t seem that sacred to NBC.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
NBC Nightly News
June 5, 2019
7:01:45 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: Good evening, everyone. It is quite a stunning and sobering sight. Behind me the resting places for over 9,000 Americans who came ashore on France's Normandy coast ready to change the tide of history.
On the eve of the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion, President Trump joined allied leaders just across the English Channel in Portsmouth, England, the starting point for the D-Day invasion. The emotional ceremony commemorating one of history's most daring military operations. And comes as President Trump made news about why he never pursued military service. Just one of the headlines from a wide-ranging interview on British TV. Our Hallie Jackson has details.
[Cuts to video]
HALLIE JACKSON: President Trump standing where thousands on allied troops gathered the night before D-Day.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: All mighty God.
PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT: All mighty God.
JACKSON: Echoing FDR and the prayer that President delivered to America this same day 75 years ago.
TRUMP: And we know that by thy grace and by the righteous of our cause, our sons will triumph.
JACKSON: The emotional ceremony in Portsmouth attended by world leaders and the Queen.
QUEEN ELIZABETH: My father, King George VI said, “what is demanded from us all is something more than courage and endurance. We need a revival of spirit.”
JACKSON: The President and First Lady greeting those humble heroes who again made the journey across the Atlantic. This time, to commemorate the battle that turned the tide in World War II.
TRUMP: We fought well together.
JACKOSN: The President himself never joined the military, receiving draft deferments during Vietnam. But was asked in an interview, airing today, if he wishes he had served.
TRUMP: I was not a fan of that war. That war was not something we should have been involved in.
PIERS MORGAN: Would you liked to have served generally, perhaps in another?
TRUMP: I would have minded that at all. I would have been honored but I think I make up for it right now.
JACKSON: In that same sit-down President Trump again responded to Meghan Markle's criticism of him in 2016.
MEGHAN MARKLE: And with as misogyny as Trump is, and so vocal is about it.
TRUMP: She was nasty to me. And it's okay for her to be nasty. It's not good for me to be nasty to her. And I wasn't. In fact, I think she's doing very well.
JACKSON: But those comments never came up in conversation with her husband Prince Harry, according to the President.
TRUMP: I congratulated him and I think he's a terrific guy. The royal family is really nice.
JACKSON: Even after his meeting with Harry's father, Prince Charles, who’s passionate about climate change, the President continued to question the scientific consensus on the issue.
MORGAN: Do you personally believe in climate change?
TRUMP: I believe that there is a change in weather and I think it changes both ways.
[Cuts back to live]
JACKSON: Also in that interview, the President says he would prefer talk over military action in Iran. A topic that may come up when President Trump sits down with the French President tomorrow here in France. That will be after the President delivers a speech here on these sacred grounds. Lester.
HOLT: All right, Hallie Jackson, thank you.
