First, let’s talk about “High Treason”. “High” is relevant because the President, in his “high office” authority, did nothing to respond to Russia’s efforts to pay bounties on US soldiers. It is also relevant for his reasons for doing so, which was very likely because he is afraid that Russian engagement could hurt his re-election chances. With other Presidents, an accusation like this would be complete speculation, but we all know Trump. We know what he is about.
But this example of treason is just another in a long line of examples. While the term itself is subjective, it comes down to a very simple definition: “To betray ones country”. The following is a bulleted list from Reddit u/thinkards on actions that can be seen as Trump betraying his country, his military, and his people:
Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing – Donald J. Trump, Jul 7 2016 [1]
There’s two people I think Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump – Kevin McCarthy, Jun 15 2017 [2]
I don’t know [if I would call the FBI if Russians asked for a meeting again during campaign season] – Jared Kushner, Jun 3 2019 [3]
I think you might want to listen, there isn’t anything wrong with listening. If somebody called from a country, Norway, [and said] ‘we have information on your opponent’ — oh, I think I’d want to hear it. – Donald J. Trump, Jun 13 2019 [4]
It [interference in our 2016 election] wasn’t a single attempt. They’re [Russia] doing it as we sit here, and they expect to do it during the next campaign – Robert S. Mueller III, Jul 24 2019 [5]
I would think that if they [Ukraine] were honest about it, they’d start a major investigation … they should investigate the Bidens … China likewise should start an investigation – Donald J. Trump, Oct 3 2019 [6]
Thank God. No one is accusing us of interfering in the U.S. elections anymore; now they’re accusing Ukraine. – Vladimir Putin, Nov 20 2019 [7]
Jan 1 2005 – Jan 31 2018. Oleg Deripaska helped Vladimir Putin launder money [8]
Mar 18 2014. Russia invaded Ukraine [9]
Sep 1 2016. Mitch McConnell refused to sign bipartisan statement on Russian Interference into US elections [10]
Sep 22 2016. Senator Dianne Feinstein and Congressmen Adam Schiff issued statement warning about Russian effort to influence the U.S. Election [11]
Nov 10 2016. Obama warned Trump about putting Michael Flynn in a high-level position [12]
Nov 18 2016. Elijah Cummings warned Mike Pence in a letter about Michael Flynn’s foreign lobbying [13]
Jan 6 2017. The CIA, NSA, FBI, and ODNI concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 election [14]
Jan 20 2017. Trump hired Michael Flynn as National Security Adviser [15]
Jan 20 2017. Michael Flynn messaged business associates that economic sanctions against Russia would be “ripped up” and a business project was “good to go” [16]
Jan 20 – Feb 7 2017. The Trump Administration worked intensly to lift sanctions on Russia the moment they took office [17]
Jan 26 2017. Acting Attorney General Sally Yates warned the White House Michael Flynn might be subject to blackmail by the Russians [18]
Feb 13 2017. Michael Flynn was fired by the Trump Administration [12]
It now seems the General Flynn was under investigation long before was common knowledge. It would have been impossible for me to know this but, if that was the case, and with me being one of two people who would become president, why was I not told so that I could make a change? – Donald J. Trump, May 17 2019 [19]
May 10 2017. Trump revealed highly classified information to Russian foreign minister (Lavrov) and ambassador in White House Oval Office meeting [20]
May 10 2017. Trump told Russian officials he was not concerned with Moscow’s meddling in the US election [21]
Jun 1 2017. Trump and his administration mishandled classified intelligence so frequently that the US had to extract a “highest level source” from within the Kremlin [22]
Jun 21 2017. The Trump Administration opposed a broad bipartisan Russian sanctions bill because it would prevent the US President from lifting those sanctions [23]
Apr 19 2018. Rudy Giuliani joined Trump’s personal legal team [24]
May 9 2018 – Jan 18 2019. Florida governor Ron DeSantis met with Lev Parnas six times and his committee received $50,000 from him [25]
Jun 16 2018. Trump called it “An Incredible Offer” to allow Russia to interrogate American intelligence officers in exchange for FBI questioning of 12 Russian agents for interfering in the 2016 U.S. presidential election [26]
Jul 4 2018. Seven Republican Congressmen travelled to Russia during the Fourth of July [27]
Jul 16 2018. Trump sided with Vladimir Putin over the US intelligence community regarding Russia’s election interference in the US 2016 election [28]
Aug 2 2018. 8 US Intelligence Groups warned Russia disrupting the US 2018 midterm elections [29]
Nov 1 2018 – Ongoing. House Intelligence Ranking Member Republican Devin Nunes was directly involved in the push for Ukraine Biden investigations by Trump associate Lev Parnas [30]
Feb 25 2019. Trump asked Moscow’s advice in dealing with North Korea [31]
Mar 1 2019. House Intelligence Ranking Member Republican Devin Nunes called off a staff trip to Ukraine when he realized House Intelligence Chair Adam Schiff would be told [32]
May 30 2019. Mitch McConnell vowed to block election security bills [33]
Jun 15 2019. Trump accused the NYT for treason for reporting that US escalated counter cyber-attacks on Russia [34]
Jul 25 2019. Trump asked for a favor from Ukranian President Zelensky as he looked for a White House visit [35]
Sep 1 2019. Trump associate Lev Parnas, who pushed Ukranian conspiracy, received $1 million from a Russian bank account [36]
Oct 7 2019. Trump ordered sudden and unexpected withdrawal of American troops from Northern Syria [37]
Oct 10 2019. Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, associates of Giuliani and Trump, were arrested [38]
Nov 13 2019. The conspiracy that Ukraine interfered in the US 2016 elections has been thoroughly debunked [39]
Nov 15 2019. Russia forces took over abandoned U.S. air base in northern Syria [40]
Dec 2 2019. John Kennedy backed Russian conspiracy theory that Ukraine meddled in the US 2016 election [41]
Dec 9 2019. Ted Cruz backed Russian consipiracy theory that Ukraine meddled in US 2016 election [42]
Dec 10 2019. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Oval Office for second time since Russian election interference [43]
Dec 13 2019. McConnell vows total coordination with White House on Impeachment trial in Senate [44]
Dec 14 2019. Lindsey Graham backed Russian conspiracy theory that Ukraine meddled in the US 2016 election [45]
Dec 14 2019. Lindsey Graham gives his word not to be a fair juror in the trial of Donald John Trump’s impeachment [46]
Dec 16 2019. The Trump Administration threatened to veto 2020 spending bill due to language requiring future release of Ukraine aid [47]
Dec 21 2019. The Trump Administration opposed bipartisan Senate bill countering Russian aggression because the bill required the administration to report Russian election meddling [48]
Feb 10 2020. Trump’s Budget proposals for 2021 contain a 25 percent cut to the European Deterrence Initiative which fights Russian aggression in Eastern Europe [49]
Feb 15 2020. Pompeo held undisclosed meeting with Russian diplomat [50]
And as a bonus list for Trump letting our military down, this list is from Reddit r/politics user u/browserrowser.
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Trump knew since Mar 2020 that Russia paid bounties to kill American troops, yet he has done nothing.
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In May 2020, the White House ended National Guard deployments one day before they could claim benefits
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The Trump admin seized 5 million masks intended for VA hospitals. Kushner distributes these masks to private entities for a fee, who then sells the masks to the government
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Trump fired the captain of the USS Theodore Roosevelt after he warned superiors that COVID19 was spreading among his crew. The virus subsequently spread amongst the crew.
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After Iran’s retaliatory strike, 109 US troops suffered brain injuries. Trump dismissed these as “headaches”
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On July 20, 2017, in room 2E924 of the Pentagon, Trump told a room full of Generals, “You’re a bunch of dopes and babies”
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Pardoned multiple war criminals, which stomped on long standing military values, discipline, and command. Trump has no military experience (May&Nov, 2019)
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Trump mocked Lt. Col. Vindman for his rank and uniform. He threatened said purple heart officer, resulting in the Army providing him protection
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Trump’s Chief of Staff worked—in secret—to deny comprehensive health coverage to Vietnam Vets who suffered from Agent Orange.
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There is a facility in Tijuana for US veterans that Trump deported. Wounded war vet, Sen Duckworth (D) marked Veterans Day 2019 by visiting this facility
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Russia took control of the main U.S. military facility in Syria abandoned on Trump’s orders. Russia now owns the airstrip we built
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On Oct 7, 2019, Trump abruptly withdrew support from America’s allies in Syria after a phone call with Turkey’s president (Erdogan). Turkey subsequently bombed US Special Forces.
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Trump sent thousands of American troops to defend the oil assets of the country that perpetrated 9/11
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In Sept 2019, he made an Air Force cargo crew, flying from the U.S. to Kuwait stop in Scotland (where there’s no U.S. base) to refuel at a commercial airport (where it costs more), so they could stay overnight at a Trump property (which isn’t close to the airport). Trump’s golf courses are losing money, so he’s forcing the military to pay for 5-star nights there.
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In Sept, 2019, Pentagon pulled funds for military schools, military housing funds, and daycare to pay for Trump’s border wall.
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In Aug, 2019, emails revealed that three of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago pals, who are now running Veterans Affairs, are rampant with meddling. “They had no experience in veterans affairs (none of them even served in the military) nor underwent any kind of approval process to serve as de facto managers. Yet, with Trump’s approval, they directed actions and criticized operations without any oversight. They wasted valuable staff time in hundreds of pages of communications and meetings, emails show. Emails reveal disdainful attitudes within the department to the trio’s meddling.”
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Veterans graves will be “dug up” for the border wall, after Trump instructed aides to seize private property. Trump told officials he would pardon them if they break the law by illegally seizing property
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Children of deployed US troops are no longer guaranteed citizenship. This includes US troops posted abroad for years at a time (August 28, 2019)
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On Aug 2, 2019, Trump requisitioned military retirement funds towards border wall
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On July 31, 2019, Trump ordered the Navy rescind medals to prosecutors who were prosecuted war criminals
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Trump denied a U.S. Marine of 6 years entry into the United States for his citizenship interview (Reported July 17, 2019)
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Trump made the U.S. Navy Blue Angels violate ethics rules by having them fly at his July 4th political campaign event (July 4, 2019)
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Trump demanded US military chiefs stand next to him at 4th of July parade (reported July 2, 2019)
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In June, 2019, Trump sent troops to the border to paint the fence for a better “aesthetic appearance”
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Trump used his D-Day interview at a cemetery commemorating fallen US soldiers to attack a Vietnam veteran (June 6, 2019)
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Trump started his D-Day commemoration speech by attacking a private citizen (Bette Midler, of all people) (reported on June 4th, 2019)
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Trump made his 2nd wife, Marla Maples, sign a prenup that would have cut off all child support if Tiffany joined the military (reported June 4th, 2019)
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On May 27, 2019, Trump turned away US military from his Memorial Day speech because they were from the destroyer USS John S. McCain
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Trump ordered the USS John McCain out of sight during his visit to Japan (May 15, 2019). The ship’s name was subsequently covered. (May 27, 2019)
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Trump purged 200,000 vets’ healthcare applications (due to known administrative errors within VA’s enrollment system) (reported on May 13, 2019)
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Trump deported a spouse of fallen Army soldier killed in Afghanistan, leaving their daughter parentless (April 16, 2019)
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On March 20, 2019, Trump complained that a deceased war hero didn’t thank him for his funeral
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Between 12/22/2018, and 1/25/2019, Trump refused to sign his party’s funding bill, which shut down the government, forcing the Coast Guard to go without pay, which made service members rely on food pantries. However, his appointees got a $10,000 pay raise
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He banned service members from serving based on gender identity (1/22/2019)
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He denied female troops access to birth control to limit sexual activity (on-going. Published Jan 18, 2019)
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He tried to deport a marine vet who is a U.S.-born citizen (Jan 16, 2019)
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When a man was caught swindling veterans pensions for high-interest “cash advances,” Trump’s Consumer Financial Protection Bureau fined him $1 (Jan 26, 2019)
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He called a retired general a ‘dog’ with a ‘big, dumb mouth’ (Jan 1, 2019)
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He increased privatization of the VA, leading to longer waits and higher taxpayer cost (2018)
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He finally visited troops 2 years after taking office, but only after 154 vacation days at his properties (Dec 26, 2018)
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He revealed a covert Seal Team 5 deployment, including names and faces, on Twitter during his visit to Iraq (Dec 26, 2018)
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Trump lied to deployed troops that he gave them a 10% raise (12/26/2018). He tried giving the military a raise that was lower than the standard living adjustment. Congress told him that idea wasn’t going to work. Then after giving them the raise that Congress made him, he lied about it pretending that it was larger than Obama’s. It wasn’t.
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He fired service members living with HIV just before the 2018 holidays
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He tried to slash disability and unemployment benefits for Veterans to $0, and eliminate the unemployability extrascheduler rating (Dec 17, 2018)
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He called troops on Thanksgiving and told them he’s most thankful for himself (Thanksgiving, 2018)
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He urged Florida to not count deployed military votes (Nov 12, 2018)
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He canceled an Arlington Cemetery visit on Veterans Day due to light rain (Nov 12, 2018)
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While in Europe commemorating the end of WWI, he didn’t attend the ceremony at a US cemetery due to the rain — other world leaders went anyway (Nov 10, 2018)
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He used troops as a political prop by sending them on a phantom mission to the border and made them miss Thanksgiving with their families (Oct-Dec, 2018)
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He stopped using troops as a political prop immediately after the election. However, the troops remained in muddy camps on the border (Nov 7, 2018)
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Trump changed the GI Bill through his Forever GI Act, causing the VA to miss veteran benefits, including housing allowances. This caused many vets to run out of food and rent. (reported October 7, 2018)
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Trump doubled the rejection rate for veterans requesting family deportation protections (July 5, 2018)
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Trump deported active-duty spouses (11,800 military families face this problem as of April 2018)
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He forgot a fallen soldier’s name (below) during a call to his pregnant widow, then attacked her the next day (Oct 23-24, 2017)
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He sent commandos into an ambush due to a lack of intel, and sends contractors to pick them up, resulting in a commando being left behind, tortured, and executed. (Trump approved the mission because Bannon told him Obama didn’t have the guts to do it) (Oct 4, 2017)
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He blocked a veteran group on Twitter (June 2017)
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He ordered the discharge of active-duty immigrant troops with good records (2017-present)
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He deported veterans (2017-present)
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He said he knows more about ISIS than American generals (Oct 2016)
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On Oct 3, 2016, Trump said vets get PTSD because they aren’t strong (note: yes, he said it’s ‘because they aren’t strong.’ He didn’t say it’s ‘because they’re weak.’ This distinction is important because of Snopes)
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Trump accepted a Purple Heart from a fan at one of his rallies and said: “I always wanted to get the Purple Heart. This was much easier.” (Aug 2, 2016)
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Trump attacks Gold Star families: Myeshia Johnson (gold star widow), Khan family (gold star parents) etc. (2016-present)
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Trump sent funds raised from a Jan 2016 veterans benefit to the Donald J Trump Foundation instead of veterans charities (the foundation has since been ordered shut because of fraud) (Jan, 2016)
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Trump said he has “more training militarily than a lot of the guys that go into the military” because he went to a military-style academy (2015 biography)
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Trump said he doesn’t consider POWs heroes because they were caught. He said he prefers people who were not caught (July 18, 2015)
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Trump said having unprotected sex was his own personal Vietnam (1998)
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For a decade, Trump sought to kick veterans off of Fifth Avenue because he found them unsightly nuisances outside of Trump Tower. 1991
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Trump dodged the draft 5 times by having a doctor diagnose him with bone spurs.
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No Trump in America has ever served in the military; this spans 5 generations, and every branch of the family tree. In fact, the reason his grandfather immigrated to America was to avoid military service
The sad thing is, they probably didn’t need to reach far to build this list.