Trump Frequently Complains 'Russian Warships More Attractive Than US'

Published 09 May.2022 10:17(KST)

Revelations Through Former Defense Secretary's Memoir During Trump Administration

Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper (right) and former U.S. President Donald Trump [Image source=Reuters News Agency]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Former U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly complained that U.S. Navy ships were "ugly" during his tenure and said that Russian Navy ships looked better, according to then-Secretary of Defense Mark Esper in his book.

The U.S. political media outlet The Hill reported on the 8th (local time) that former Secretary Esper revealed in his upcoming memoir "A Sacred Oath," set to be published on the 10th, that "President Trump often complained that Russian and Italian ships were more attractive than those of the U.S."

Esper said, "President Trump had a kind of aesthetic regarding naval ships," adding, "He repeatedly said that Russian and Italian ships looked better and sleeker, more like real warships, than U.S. ships."

He added, "I told the president, 'Our ships are built not to enter beauty contests but to fight and win. We prioritize function over form,' but it did not satisfy the president."

Esper also revealed that Trump was obsessed with former Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, who testified unfavorably against him during the 2019 impeachment proceedings and was eventually dismissed. He said, "President Trump repeatedly asked me, 'When will the Army get rid of Vindman?'"

The Hill explained, "Esper was also dismissed in November 2020 after clashing with President Trump over the response to racial discrimination protests in the U.S." When nationwide protests erupted following the death of Black man George Floyd, who was suffocated by a white police officer in 2020, Esper opposed Trump's plan to deploy the military to suppress the Floyd protests.