U.S. Rep. Brian Mast said he was proud to serve America in the military. But he said President Joe Biden doesn't deserve his respect after a disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.
"Nearly 2,500 of my brothers and sisters gave their lives in that war," the Army veteran said. "Joe Biden disgraced their sacrifice and the sacrifice of all Afghanistan veterans. Kamala Harris stood with him when he did. Neither deserves to be saluted as Commander in Chief or to sit in the Oval Office."
The Stuart Republican was the first prime time speaker Wednesday night at the Republican National Convention. He walked on stage in a pair of prosthetic legs, the result of a war injury during his time in uniform.
Mast lost his legs in Afghanistan in 2010 when the Fort Stewart Explosive Ordinance Disposal technician diffused a bomb in Kandahar.
The Congressman said the military was stronger when Republican Donald Trump served in the White House, and will regain that strength if voters return Trump there in the fall.
"I lost two legs and a finger in the war in Afghanistan, but nothing could stop me from standing alongside Donald Trump and fighting for America," Mast said. "Every one of you American service members and every veteran knows the dangers when we join the armed forces, but we risk our lives because we believe in America. As President Donald Trump rebuilt our military to turn our enemies, and he made America strong again.
"I'm not here to sugarcoat it. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have once again weakened our armed forces, and through inflation, slashed the size of our military budget, just like they slashed the family budget."
He also slammed the Biden administration over what he described as diversity and extremism training in military camps, something he said distracts from the military mission.
"They would rather lose a war than use the wrong pronouns, and we've had enough," Mast said.
"Donald Trump knows that our military needs warriors and not woke weaklings lecturing our warriors."
