Reporter argues with White House about Trump calling Americans 'warriors'
President Trump hails Americans as 'warriors' amid the COVID-19 pandemic; former Marine bomb technician and Fox News contributor Joey Jones offers insight.
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Fox News contributor and retired Marine bomb technician Johnny "Joey" Jones said on Thursday that there is a “warrior culture” that exists in the United States' fight against coronavirus, defending President Trump's use of the phrase against critics.
“The intent of a warrior isn’t to go die for no reason, the intent of a warrior is to be the one willing to stand up and defend,” Jones, who spent nearly a decade working with veterans who suffered from PTSD, told “Fox & Friends.”
Jones, a double-amputee who was wounded in an explosion in Afghanistan, said that there is not a choice on when the enemy attacks in a warrior culture.
“You have to defend your livelihood, your civilization so you put on your armor, you sharpen your sword, you stay in guard and, most importantly, you go live your life.”
Jones' comments came after Trump said he views Americans as “warriors” in the fight against coronavirus, as he made the argument for reopening economies across the country in the near future.
"I'm viewing our great citizens of this country to a certain extent, and to a large extent, as warriors. They're warriors. We can't keep our country closed,” Trump said after a roundtable discussion about supporting Native Americans in Arizona.
“I'm not saying anything is perfect, and yes will some people be affected? Yes. Will some people be affected badly? Yes. But we have to get our country open and we have to get it open soon,” the president continued.
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White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany was questioned on Wednesday by a reporter about Trump's use of the warrior phrase.
"The President has been clear that at this moment we’re at a wartime moment where we’re fighting the invisible enemy. And by that I mean Covid-19. And on the contrary, the notion that the American people are warriors, they’re warriors because they’ve stayed home. They’re warriors because they’ve social distanced. They’re warriors because this mitigation effort is something that could only be done by the American people coming together and making really hard sacrifices."
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Jones said that journalists are offended by the term “warrior” because of the “fear” of the coronavirus pandemic. Jones said that "warrior" is a great word to use by Trump, though it is "disheartening" that in 2020, journalists are offended by the idea of being called that word.
“I think there is a certain amount of pacifism in this country now. We’re consumed by our iPhones, instant gratification, the mere thought of sacrifice scares people to death. They confuse the fact that they’re free and wealthy with the idea that we don’t have to earn it or pay for it anymore and, so, what I mean by that is it does take selfless sacrifice.”
To hear more from Jones about what it means to be a warrior, both during wartime and when the soldier returns home, check out his new show on Fox Nation, “Warrior Ranch.” In this Fox Nation special, Jones follows U.S. Army Staff Sergeant James Allen Pennington and retired racehorse “Red” on their journey to recovery as they learn to help one another.
“When their job is done — the soldier protecting us and defending our freedom, the horse racing, performing and entertaining us — we say thank you very much, but we'd appreciate it if you didn't do that anymore,” narrated Jones, “The fact is that is easier said than done.
”To watch all of “Warrior Ranch,” go to Fox Nation and sign up today.
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