Donald Trump's Statement On Colin Powell's Death Has Jaws Dropping

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell — the first Black figure to assume the position, per CNN – died at age 84, as was reported on October 18. "General Colin L. Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, passed away this morning due to complications from Covid 19," his family wrote in a statement to Facebook, per CNN, noting he did receive full vaccination. 

Tributes from political figures began pouring in. As former President George W. Bush said in a statement, "He was a great public servant, starting with his time as a soldier during Vietnam" (via Reuters). "He was such a favorite of presidents that he earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom — twice," Bush added. 

Al Sharpton wrote on Twitter, "Though we disagreed on many issues, I always respected him and was proud of his achievements." And President Biden issued a statement singing the praises of his longtime colleague. "Colin embodied the highest ideals of both warrior and diplomat," he wrote. The president also called Powell a "dear friend and a patriot of unmatched honor and dignity." Former President Donald Trump has now also weighed in on Powell's death. And in perhaps true Trump fashion, it was anything but graceful.

In an email message to supporters — which political commentator Ana Navarro screenshotted and posted on Twitter — Donald Trump immediately attacked Colin Powell. "Wonderful to see Colin Powell, who made big mistakes on Iraq and famously, so-called weapons of mass destruction, be treated in death so beautifully by the Fake News Media," he wrote. "Hope that happens to me someday." Trump continued to disparage the deceased former statesman. "He was a classic RINO [Republican In Name Only], if even that, always being the first to attack other Republicans. He made plenty of mistakes, but anyway, may he rest in peace!"

Navarro was, unsurprisingly, appalled by Trump's statement. "In the event you have forgotten what a horrible, dark-hearted, empathy-deprived, class-less, thin-skinned, petty, infantile, vindictive, shell of a human being Trump is," she wrote attached to the screenshot, "here is some reminding." Those are harsh words, but wow; so were Trump's.

And Navarro was not alone. CNN's Chris Cillizza penned the statement as "... in a word, classless. In two words: utterly classless." Cillizza also called out Trump's hypocrisy on the military. "It also puts to lie Trump's regularly repeated assertion that he loves the military more than any other president has ever loved the military," he wrote. Navarro pointed this out too, writing, "Commander Bonespurs seems particularly triggered when respected military heroes die," theoretically referencing Trump's deferring from the Vietnam War draft. What a hurtful and unneeded message.