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Trump Promises VA Reforms in VFW Speech

Republican Presidential and Vice Presidential nominees Donald Trump and Mike Pence address the VFW convention in Charlotte.
Jay Price
/
American Homefront
Republican Presidential and Vice Presidential nominees Donald Trump and Mike Pence address the VFW convention in Charlotte.

A day after Hillary Clinton addressed the same group, Donald Trump received an enthusiastic response at the national convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump spoke at the annual Veterans of Foreign Wars Convention in Charlotte Tuesday, a day after his rival Hillary Clinton tried to woothe same crowd.

Trump introduced his running mate Mike Pence, before giving a 30-minute speech in which he addressed veterans' affairs, immigration, trade and terrorism. Both men also appeared at a rally in Winston-Salem on Monday night.

"We're going to take care of our veterans like they've never been taken care of before," Trump told the crowd.

Trump proposed a plan to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs, which he said would include appointing a new secretary of the department, creating a 24-hour White House hotline for veterans, increasing mental health care for veterans, and appointing a commission to investigate wrong-doings in the VA.

"The other candidate in this race, you know her name, crooked Hillary Clinton…has a much different view," he said.

"She recently said of the VA scandal that it's not as widespread as it's been purported to be. It's like she's trying to sweep it under the rug."

Clinton also has promised VA reforms and says she intends to increase oversight on the department's operations. She told the VFW this week she opposes privatizing the VA.

In his remarks, Trump also repeated other major parts of his campaign platform.

"We need to change our tax, energy, and regulatory policies to produce millions of new jobs and trillions in new wealth and invest in our country and in our infrastructure, which is falling apart all over this country," Trump said. "Our infrastructure is that of a third-world country. Not anymore."

While attendees at the VFW convention politely listened to Clinton Monday, they were more enthusiastic about Trump on Tuesday.  Still, some vets said they were underwhelmed by both candidates.

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