Hero Airline Pilot Capt. Sully Is 'Disgusted' By Trump, He Reveals In Blistering Attack
Retired Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, America’s favorite airline pilot, is “disgusted” by the “current occupant of the White House,” he tweeted Friday in an uncharacteristic attack on President Donald Trump.
The easygoing pilot, who safely landed a crippled commercial airliner in the Hudson River 11 years ago to save every one of his 155 passengers, erupted over a report Thursday in The Atlantic about Trump’s shocking insults labeling fallen service members as “losers” and “suckers.”
As part of his nine-tweet attack, Sullenberger began by honoring his father, who, like him, was a war veteran. “His generation saved the world from fascism,” he wrote. Sullenberger, an Air Force veteran, volunteered for military service during the Vietnam War.
“I have long known that serving a cause greater than oneself is the highest calling, whether in the military or in civilian life,” he added in a following tweet. “And I have always tried to be a voice of reason and to speak in a measured way.”
But “this situation calls for a much more direct approach. It is time to call out egregious behavior for what it is,” he flatly stated.
“For the first time in American history, a president has repeatedly shown utter and vulgar contempt and disrespect for those who have served and died serving our country,” Sullenberger noted.
“While I am not surprised, I am disgusted by the current occupant of the Oval Office. He has repeatedly and consistently shown himself to be completely unfit for and to have no respect for the office he holds,” Sullenberger added.
“He cannot understand selflessness because he is selfish. He cannot conceive of courage because he is a coward.”
He concluded: “We owe it not only to those who have served and sacrificed for our nation, but to ourselves and to succeeding generations to vote him out.”
Sullenberger is a registered Republican who was approached by the GOP in 2009 about running for Congress. He endorsed Democratic nominee Joe Biden for president earlier this year.
Check out the thread below.
1/9 I am a veteran. I volunteered for military service during wartime. So did my father. His generation saved the world from fascism. pic.twitter.com/0tWKdMYDKs
— Sully Sullenberger (@Captsully) September 4, 2020
2/9 In our travels, my wife Lorrie and I have always made it a point to visit military bases, hospitals and cemeteries, to meet and honor those who serve and have served our nation.
— Sully Sullenberger (@Captsully) September 4, 2020
3/9 I have long known that serving a cause greater than oneself is the highest calling, whether in the military or in civilian life. And I have always tried to be a voice of reason and to speak in a measured way.
— Sully Sullenberger (@Captsully) September 4, 2020
4/9 But this situation calls for a much more direct approach. It is time to call out egregious behavior for what it is.
— Sully Sullenberger (@Captsully) September 4, 2020
5/9 For the first time in American history, a president has repeatedly shown utter and vulgar contempt and disrespect for those who have served and died serving our country.
— Sully Sullenberger (@Captsully) September 4, 2020
6/9 While I am not surprised, I am disgusted by the current occupant of the Oval Office. He has repeatedly and consistently shown himself to be completely unfit for and to have no respect for the office he holds.
— Sully Sullenberger (@Captsully) September 4, 2020
7/9 He took an oath of office that is similar to the one that each person takes who enters the U.S. Military. But he has completely failed to uphold his oath.
Now we know why. He has admitted that he cannot comprehend the concept of service above self.— Sully Sullenberger (@Captsully) September 4, 2020
8/9 He cannot understand selflessness because he is selfish. He cannot conceive of courage because he is a coward. He cannot feel duty because he is disloyal.
— Sully Sullenberger (@Captsully) September 4, 2020
9/9 We owe it not only to those who have served and sacrificed for our nation, but to ourselves and to succeeding generations to vote him out. https://t.co/REXXzg90Pw @JeffreyGoldberg @TheAtlantic
— Sully Sullenberger (@Captsully) September 4, 2020
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.