WASHINGTON– Donald Trump insinuated some soldiers in Iraq stole recovery funds delivered to the country in the wake of the Iraq War, during a speech Tuesday night in Greensboro, North Carolina.
“Iraq, crooked as hell. How about bringing baskets of money? Millions and millions of dollars and handing it out? I want to know, who are the soldiers that had that job because I think they’re living very well right now, whoever they may be,” he said.
His spokeswoman, Hope Hicks, said Trump was referring to Iraqi soldiers, not U.S. soldiers.
However, billions of recovery funds were reportedly unaccounted for in the wake of the war and could have gone into any number of places. According to the Center for Public Integrity, 115 U.S. soldiers were convicted of committing theft or bribery in Iraq and Afghanistan between 2005 and 2015.
The presumptive GOP nominee made some similar remarks in September in Keene, New Hampshire, about Afghan soldiers.
“Remember when they were handing $50 million of cash? They were going through Afghanistan paying off — I want to know, who are the soldiers that are carrying cash, $50 million, cash?” he said then. “How stupid are we? I wouldn’t be surprised — if those soldiers, I wouldn’t be surprised if the cash didn’t get there.”
