Updated

For more than 50 years, every American president has been forced to grapple, in one way or another, with the quagmire of the Vietnam War.

Now it's Donald Trump's turn.

The ghosts of Vietnam are stirring anew, just as Trump prepares to visit the nation on his first presidential tour of Asia. Vietnam war hero Sen. John McCain this week put an unwelcome spotlight on Trump's five draft deferments to avoid military service. And Trump's prolonged political tussle over the proper way for presidents to honor and grieve with the families of fallen soldiers has focused attention on his failure to serve as well.

Trump tried to set all that aside Monday as he presented the Medal of Honor to a medic who served in Vietnam.