The Trump campaign released a statement Thursday by disabled combat veteran Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) slamming the progressive group VoteVets over an ad the Soros-backed group plans to run in western Pennsylvania TV markets during Sunday’s NFL NFC Championship game between Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers (Fox, 6:30 p.m. EST) Mast called VoteVets a “shill group funded by liberal elites”…”recycling this fake news” of debunked quotes critical of soldiers that were falsely attributed to President Trump.
The VoteVets ad features three Gold Star parents criticizing Trump, citing the false report he called fallen troops “losers”:
NEW AD: Trump calls our war dead ‘suckers’ and ‘losers.’
But know this—he’s the true loser.
These Gold Star Families are standing up, and their message clear: valor and sacrifice are beyond Trump’s understanding.
Unforgivable disrespect.#GoldStarVoicesAgainstTrump pic.twitter.com/0jZTzeSQt4
— VoteVets (@votevets) January 26, 2024
Army veteran Mast, 43, lost both legs and his left index finger to an IED while serving in Afghanistan in 2010.
Another big win for @realDonaldTrump in New Hampshire tonight! We are right on track for an America First victory in November!
📷: Launching the Veterans for Trump coalition in New Hampshire last year. pic.twitter.com/K1ohkw7t4m
— Brian Mast (@BrianMastFL) January 24, 2024
Statement from Congressman Brian Mast, National Chairman of Veterans For Trump
Response to VoteVets False Attacks
Having seen reports on a baseless attack ad against President Trump by VoteVets, a shill group funded by liberal elites, I felt compelled to point out this spot is as vile as it is absurd.
First and foremost, it cites a refuted claim debunked by senior officials who were in the room years ago. Recycling this fake news is made worse by exploiting the pain of family members of fallen soldiers.
Biden and globalists of both parties recklessly drag America’s sons and daughters into endless wars, then leave them vulnerable to attacks abroad and terrible treatment here at home. Biden’s failed retreat from Afghanistan led to chaos and a disastrous outcome for our troops, and his weakness among world leaders today makes us more vulnerable than at any time in our nation’s history.
As President, Donald Trump passed the largest reform of the Department of Veterans Affairs in a generation, including VA Accountability and VA Choice, and he fired 11,500 federal workers who failed to give our wounded warriors the quality and timely care they deserve.
President Trump secured record funding for mental health services, and he expanded access to tele-health and suicide prevention resources. During his first term, President Trump decreased veteran homelessness, increased educational benefits, and achieved record-low veteran unemployment.
As a veteran, a Member of Congress, and as the Chairman of Veterans for Trump Coalition, I know that with Donald Trump back in the White House our troops will be safer, our vets will be respected, and our world will be safer.
The Hill reported on the VoteVets ad buy (excerpt):
The six-figure ad buy will run in the Pittsburgh, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Harrisburg markets.
In 2020, Biden won Pennsylvania, flipping the battleground state blue with about a 1.2 percent margin.
This is the first VoteVets ad buy in this election cycle. The group was one of the biggest spenders in the 2022 cycle, dropping $24,473,501 on independent expenditures, according to money-in-politics watchdog OpenSecrets.
Politico reported in 2019 that VoteVets is funded by the George Soros Open Society Foundation: “Soros’ foundation finances VoteVets, a left-leaning veterans group…” Breitbart also reported, in 2020, that Soros funds VoteVets.
