Sen. Jeff Flake on Wednesday called President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy U.S. troops along the U.S.-Mexico border a “stunt,” noting that the troops in his home state of Arizona had actually been deployed almost 100 miles from the border itself.
“I think it’s unfortunate that we have soldiers there, and frankly in Arizona they are stationed in Tucson about 90 miles from the border. So they are not forward deployed actually on the border,” the outgoing Republican said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “So I think you can’t call it anything but a stunt here, and it’s unfortunate that they are going to be away from family during the holidays coming up, and we just don’t know what really for.”
Critics of the Trump administration have accused the president of using military resources as political chess pieces, along with heated rhetoric, in the lead-up to last week’s midterm elections in an effort to stir concern over caravans of asylum-seeking migrants headed for the U.S. as a dangerous “invasion.”
Trump railed against the migrants repeatedly in the final days of the campaign, but has fallen mostly silent on the issue since Election Day, save for an executive order last week to block the migrants from seeking asylum if they are caught crossing the border illegally.
Flake, an outspoken critic of the president who decided not to run for reelection because of his disagreements with Trump, said Wednesday that he thought the caravan was nothing that couldn’t be handled by “civilians that we have there in terms of border patrol and others.”
He added that he wasn’t sure he could offer words of affirmation to troops discouraged by their deployment to the southern border.
“I don’t know what I could tell them other than we shouldn’t be doing this,” he said. “This wasn’t an issue that Congress was involved in. It was an executive decision.”
Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), who sits on the Judiciary Committee with Flake and joined him on “Morning Joe,” said that he agreed with the retiring Arizona lawmaker.
“I would have to look them in the eye and say thank you for your service and I regret that our president is using you as a political stunt,” he said.
source: politico.com
When people criticize a decision to address an unprecedented problem, they should offer a counter proposal.
I’ll be so glad when that idiot Flake is long gone. He is such a wimp…his name says it all. I hope and pray I never see him in politics again!!
Flake is nuts he says he do not make sense playing into democrats hands
Flake,don’t they mean SNOWFLAKE.just another traitor.
Well, we know why he retired. He is no longer a Republican, and knew he could not be reelected!
You people are plain crazy, the people in the caravans are carrying glass from there country, thats invasion. They’ve been told not to come here that you’re not going to be allowed in because we have too many crossing the border now they’re not listening. We cannot allow all these people in, we can’t feed them provide housing or provide medical care. Now you idoits that believe these are just poor little ole people looking for a way to improve their way of life, best to wake up now, most of the people I have seen are young men. Very few children or older people. I am telling you better wake up help send these people back.Thank you.
A Demotard and a Quisling RINO Rat show up on Morning Schmoe and rag on the President. Does anyone with half a brain cell think we are going to take those idiots serious when those two could not collectively marshal the brain power to run a one hole outhouse without screwing it up.
Love your very fair assessment! Bravo!
Flake is a good name for him why have RNP not dropped him
I call him Jeff Snake
I feel the same way, he is a traitor to his party. He pretends to be a Republican, he was a set up for the Democrats.
Speaking of Flakes , Joe Scarborough is so far left and comes off as brain
Dead. I used to love that show before he let socialist Mika brainwash Him.
I can’t stand a man that behaves like a stepford wife.
Fake is his reputation, Flake is his name. Call him democrat, he’s one in the same.
Anyone who thinks this way has their head so far up their butts they have bad breath, brown teeth and NO BRAINS!!! In my and most others opinion, RINO “Flakey” Jeff Flake especially is an IDIOT and needs to resign, become a Democrat and leave DC for anywhere but AZ (Mexico??)!!! WE DON’T WANT HIM ANYWHERE NEAR AZ AT ALL!!!!!
Just proves how disconnected Flake is from his own state .
Tucson is 65 miles from the border , and Ft.Huachuca is 5 miles from the border.
He just can’t resist running his mouth till his last day .
Thank God he will be gone soon!
Are they in charge of deployment? Are they familiar with military science and tactics? I thought not. The President has his military commanders Deploy the troops.
Amazing! TRUMPs biggest supporters are quick to talk about the 2nd amendment but they apparently have no idea that our military can offer nothing more then food medical housing backup etc 4 the. national.gaurd, customs, police agencies ! Our regular branches can’t fight on our land! Trumps using our military 4 nothing more then grabstanding& votes!
Wow. Amaging Flake could make a decision without pulling a Hamlet as for Coons less said about him the better.
These sso called public servants should be upholding our laws. Not using it as a political grandstand against our own country and the president. They were elected to do the will of the people and not they’re own views. This is one of the main problems in this country and it should be easier to remove them from office and impose penalties.
So glad Flakey is coming home to AZ. That little darling is going to experience a lot of Big Mouth type moments in AZ. Look for him in Northern AZ. Flagstaff, SnowFlake, Showlow. And the Flake in Snowflake is his ancestor. Two men Snow and Flake founded that little mormon town. And sooner or later I will happily tell him he was about the most disgusting one term senator we have ever had as a republican. McCain was a true beligerant rino and now we has Sin by dem wit cheating. See you soon Flakey!
Arizona piece of SHIT, FUCK THE MF HOLIDAY, OUR FUCKING COUNTRY IS IN NEED FOR MILITARY SUPPORT. .YOUR SO FUCKING STUPID YOU SHOULD BE A FUCKING DEMOCRAT..THATS WHERE STUPID PEOPLE ARE!!! Steve the fuck down!! Another rhinos, just like dead McCain! ! I REALLY THINK THE SUN IS FRYING THE ARIZONA MINDS.STUPID PEOPLE SAY STUPID THINGS! !!
This site claims to have no filters and no censorship. So why were my comments awaiting moderation before being posted.
Does anyone even bother to listen to these two RINO rats?
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Coons is a leftist Demonrat, only the Flake is a leftist RINO… good riddance to him! I pray we get Mc Sally in his place!
They are exactly that, RINO’s are NOT Republicans but Libertarians. Can’t tell you how disgusted I am that RINO Ryan Clone McCarthy was appointed the new minority leader. He’s a Never-Trumper and like Ryan will obstruct and resist everything Trump tries to do. From now, I consider myself an Independent. No more Republican. I’ll vote for Trump, but will not support any RINOs. Wish Jordan and the Freedom Caucus would start a new party for true Republicans, because RINOs have held GOP hostage for far too long. They do NOT support Republican values or Trump agenda – I refuse to be used by them anymore.
flake don’t let your alligator mouth overload your hummingbird ass.you as a republicrat have as much honor as a cockroach in the butter dish. the mainstream media will just as soon shoot you a rat ,you have a ilusion of grandeur that would sink a rat in the sewer stream..GO HOME,SHUT UP ,AND KICK YOUR NUTS IF YOU STILL HAVE THEM..
Flake, you are a FLACK!!
Fluck fake.
Have you seen them at the Border today? They are acting Savage Animals, climbing the fence with total disrespect for the United States and every citizen living here. They need to be stopped, this is an Invasion, has nothing to do with immigration.
This is what our service members are for, to protect our borders. The very idea that they will be away from their families during a”holliday,” isn’t a good reason for them not to be deployed. I have been deployed during Thanksgiving and Christmas. Jeff Flake you will never get it just stay home you have no idea about “Millitary” protocol?
Lance Troupe right on thank you for your service
Thoroughly agree. How many days did he serve? Does he know anything about he is bloviating?
Jeff is nothing but a meer moronic joke. No strength behind any of his comments, Waffle Boy.
No Jeff flake is using this as a political stunt just to rail on the prrsident. Flake is like a typical democrat they blame everybody else for exactly what their doing.
Now you begin to see why these folks are toast
Flake is a perfect name for this ah.
Hey, you idiots who call this a Stunt, why don’t you come on down here to my house in Lemon Grove, CA. I welcome you to stand here and tell me that you aren’t afraid after being here for 5 minutes you f___ing hypocrites! You have no idea what is going on or why. You sit in your ivory towers spewing rhetoric out of both sides of your mouths and know absolutely nothing of what is going on. How stupid and unaware are you? I am 15 miles from the border. Come on down, I’ll be happy to escort you down, invite you to talk to these people and see how terrifying this whole thing is. You have escape routes but we don’t. What will you do with all of our dead and dying bodies if and when these violent people get thru? I know, you don’t care.
You can’t believe anything either of these clowns say.
marleen davis I used to live in cal your reason is why my family left
So you agree with Moonbat Brown do you? Then you should have stayed there.
So, how are the “civilians” supposed to “handle” this? Flake is an outrage. The “caravan” is a strategy of asymmetric warfare and it’s not new. War has been declared on the US by Mexico and Central America but they cannot fight a conventional war because they are too far outclassed militarily by the US. They are using “weaponized migration” and the US military is not well-prepared to deal with that type of threat. Political correctness and the open-borders Democrats won’t let them. So, what are we supposed to do? Let the Democrats have their way? Stand aside and let EVERONE walk in unchecked? Aren’t there uncounted millions of third-world migrants who who love to do that? While we operate a welfare state? That’s surrender. We don’t have the right to do that. OPEN BORDERS means NO borders. NO borders means NO country. Any people who will not defend their country’s borders don’t deserve to HAVE a country.
Instead of criticizing the President, Why don’t you give your suggestion in dealing with this issue? if you don’t have one step aside.
Have to love the “Republicans think it is a stunt” Seriously thought to my self what Rinos are surfacing….than….LOL….just RINO Flake who will, thank god. be gone soon :))
Flake is exactly what his name implies, a flake. He is so jealous of President Donald Trump he cant even think straight. I just wish he would pack up his marbles and go on home. He needs to shut his mouth, no Republican cares for his opinions. He is a RINO. Damn liberal.
Flake: piece of paint that is ready to be peeled off a wall because it’s no good and detrimental to the usefulness of the rest of the paint job.
Coons: nickname for a wild animal that sometimes spreads rabies.
Flake is a has been that quit because he is a pu___. He has no backbone and lets the democrats use him like a puppet. His statements are worthless.
BULL. SHIT. TRUMP KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING.
Flake needs to get out of the way, or the TRUMP train will run him over. Crooked nose creep, retiring because he would never be reelected as a Republican . Demmo idialogy thinking loser.
BULL SHIT. TRUMP KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING.
No more needs saying. You are right on!
Thank you President Trump for doing something that I know a democrat would not do Those idiots want to take our rights away Keep those people out They say they are mostly women and children my assThey are trouble terrorist and beggars KEEP THEM OUT Thank you to our military and their families
I feel our troops would rather protect our Country on American soil than overseas.
The problem is with those on the opposing side are encouraging these people to brake the law. The left have become so far left trying to sell out our Country as one World. Please move out and leave us alone, we love Country. Thank you troops for your unselfish sacrifice?
The democRATs want open borders so all the illegals will vote for them. Chuck the Schmuck is already pushing for noncitizens to be able to vote. The left is showing their fascist agenda without trying to sugar coat it anymore.
I, for one can NOT believe I just read this! In the name of all that’s holy…. What is Flake thinking.!?!?!?! To think that he represents US, here in Arizona, and he could be SO stupid and blind to call the troop deployment a “STUNT”??? I Praise President Trump for being aware that all those illegals are not just immigrants looking for the American Dream. That gang of people are a decoy for the REAL, hidden, threat to our United States, MS13, spys, operatives, COYOTEES, DRUG running, drug dealing THUGS! and any and all terrorists gangs that want to come across with the masses and bring the battle to our land! PLEASE, PEOPLE of Arizona!! let’s keep our eye’s open, guns loaded and PRAY TO GOD! that our deployed troops Can hold off the hoard at Our border!
I am a Texan. I concur in all Marleen Davis has written. I am sick and tired of my tax dollars going to provide welfare, schooling, medical attention, housing, etc.; allfor Free. We have plenty of our own citizens who are in need of help. As it is said,” Charity begins at home (USA)”.
And as far as the military missing being with their families on Thanksgiving, no big deal! I was an Army Brat and also an Air Force wife and
there is an old saying,”A Man is married to the service first then married to his(other) spouse second.
I say Flake is nothing but a Flake!
I agree with you, fully. The constant flow of our tax dollars are going to illegals and not going to U.S. Citizens who should be getting the food stamps, housing, education,etc.
I would propose putting a hold on all immigration acceptance until Congress can
make some strong decisions.
As for Flake, always considered him a turncoat. He is too chummy by far with Dem. C. Coons. Something going on there.
Flake is a has been and is trying to stay relavent.
I saw today hundreds of the 1st of the caravan had broken away and reached the border wall by hitchhiking. They went over the wall illegally and not returned back to Mexico? No, they are mocking the border patrol. They are Why are they not returned to Mexico President Trump? You ran on a border large, talk glorious border wall? You said you would deploy the necessary troops to the border to stop entry into the US.
I saw today hundreds of the 1st of the caravan had broken away and reached the border wall by hitchhiking. They went over the wall illegally and not returned back to Mexico? No, they are mocking the border patrol. Why are they not bring returned to Mexico President Trump? You ran on a large, tall, glorious border wall? You said you would deploy the necessary troops to the border to stop entry into the US. It is not working.
Everyone knows that the Border Patrol is seriously undermanned. They are doing the best they can to control the normal flow of Illegal Aliens.
Then to add 7,000 to 10,000, depending on your news source, trying to come in all at once would seriously overwhelm our brave Border Guards.
But, I think that is what the Dummycrats and the Rino’s want to happen.
while I was in the service I spent all but one christmas away from home. te memn and women of the armed forces now when they sign up that this goes with the deal! they will do what must be done and accept it as part of the duties of being in the service.
The only way criminals of any kind are going to get the message that they cannot decide to change the laws of our country, come in uninvited, stalk politicians, run people out of restaurants, tell crowds to run people out of the malls, show up on news reporters lawns & crack their doors, is to OPEN FIRE & KILL about 200 of them. Then this crap will stop in every venue. The law says what the law says & no one can determine to change it or disobey it. If these type people want to continue to violate the rights of others & attempt to take control of our country, they are doing it knowing they must pay for their crimes, but, the people who are supposed to protect us aren’t allowed to do so for fear of being called RACIST & sent to jail for defending the laws of our land. Trump will get enough of this liberal political crap of taunting others, attacking individuals, etc. & he will stop this mess without saying a word. These horrible people leave him no alternative & he won’t allow we American’s to be treated with violence & have our Constitutional rights taken away. I can’t wait to see him take this action. If you commit the crime, you sometimes pay with your life. Seeing a few hundred people die for committing these crimes, will make believers out of those who YACK the loudest & stir up violence.
How many of the invaders is he going to take into his home,and feed ,clothe,pay for medical for them,pay for their kids schooling.Not a damn one.When I give to charity on my meager income,I want to know it goes to our poor.He would have to help them get work and transportation too.I bet his wife wold like a house full of strangers.
Flake is nothing but a weak person himself all the migrants have to do is meet him in an elevator and he will crumble we have seen that he is a baby who got his feelings hurt he has no backbone now he will vote no on anything he thinks he is some saviour he should be a whining Democrat he is like Acosta showboats camera whores
Yep we have a border let’s save it we pay taxes oh I mean TAXES and the demos take our money and give it to the illegal so they have more votes!!!!!!
If the previous administration would have followed the immigration laws that already and have been in place for years, troops would not need to be at the border now. This whole immigration fiasco is due the Obama administration breaking the existing laws. We now have an administration that actuallly follows the law and idiots dont like that.
Jeff Fake. I’d be embarrassed to be in his family with that name. What a fraud. What a flake!
People seeking to immigrate to the US legally are being treated as an invading force. What an embarrassment. We should be sending immigration officials to help these people immigrate legally. Treating this group of people as a horde of criminals is small minded racism.
Are you sure he is not A democrat.
He has all the symptoms.of one…
President Trump isn’t about stunts, he does what he says he’s going to do.