Buttigieg: I’m Not Scared of a Reality TV Hack Who Faked His Bone Spurs

Donald Trump has had a busy day on Twitter railing against congressional oversight, calling the man he hired to run the State Department “dumb as a rock,” and screaming that he is extremely calm and in complete control of his emotions at all times. So you’ll have to forgive him if he hasn’t gotten around to losing his mind and lashing out at Pete Buttigieg, but rest assured, it’s coming!

Speaking during an appearance at a Washington Post Live event, the South Bend mayor and Democratic candidate for office was asked by reporter Robert Costa what he thought of the news that Trump is considering pardoning several war criminals on Memorial Day, to which Buttigieg responded that it’s one of the grosser things to come out of this presidency, which is obviously saying a lot. “My view is it‘s disgusting,” he said, adding that such a move would hurt the credibility of the U.S. military justice system, which found these people guilty. “If the president blows a hole in that, he is blowing a hole in the military, and he is putting troops’ lives at risk.”

Speaking of military service, or lack thereof, when asked if Trump should have served in Vietnam, Buttigieg came for the bone spurs. “I have a pretty dim view of his decision to use his privilege to fake a disability in order to avoid serving in Vietnam,” the mayor, who served in Afghanistan as a Navy Reserve intelligence officer, commented, adding that said fake disability should be “talked about” more. While Trump has insisted his 1968 medical deferment was legit, last year The New York Times reported that the children of the podiatrist who wrote the letter allowing the president to dodge the draft say it was done as “a favor” to Fred Trump, from whom the doctor’s office space was rented. According to one of his daughters, the doctor received preferential treatment after the letter was issued, and no increases in rent.

But does the mayor have any fears about incurring the wrath of a man known for attacking his enemies with devastating nicknames? “I don’t have a problem standing up to someone who was working on Season 7 of Celebrity Apprentice when I was packing my bags for Afghanistan,” Buttigieg said, going in for the kill.

More Great Stories from Vanity Fair

— Visit our brand-new, searchable digital archive now!

— How Beto O’Rourke lost his narrative

— Is Uber’s the biggest I.P.O. flop in history?

— From the archives: Sixteen words that changed the world

Looking for more? Sign up for our daily Hive newsletter and never miss a story.