For the first time in US Presidential elections 2016, both Nominees Trump and Hilary were seen on the same platform ahead of the US Presidential Debates but were interviewed differently on NBC. Both the leaders were separately grilled over the issues of military credentials and national security.
However, there were many of the highlights from their interviews which are as following:
- Republican Nominee Donald Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin is “very much of a leader, as he has very strong control over a country.” He also compared him with US president Obama saying that “It’s a very different system, and I don’t happen to like the system. But certainly, in that system, he’s been a leader, far more than our president has been a leader.”
- Responding to the questions of sprawling email scandal Democrats Nominee Hilary admitted of mistake saying that “It was a mistake to have a personal account. I would certainly not do it again. I make no excuses for it.”
- Earlier Wednesday, Trump pledged to increase US military spending, which however is already at levels far higher than any other nation. Trump also called to demand a plan to beat the Islamic State (IS) group if he becomes president.
- Trump also angered many in the military community with mocking remarks against US Senator and former prisoner of war John McCain for being captured in Vietnam.
- Despite his some controversial remarks, still Trump is ahead by a wide margin of 19 percentage points among military and veteran voters, according to the latest NBC News/SurveyMonkey Weekly Election Tracking poll.
- Over the questions about the plan to demolish the Islami State (IS), Trump also outlined proposals for an active army of around 540,000 troops, an air force of at least 1,200 fighter aircraft, a 36-battalion marine corps and a navy of 350 surface ships and submarines. Though he provided no details on how he would persuade Congress to pay for it all.
- Clinton provided more specifics, stressing IS would be defeated without US ground troops being deployed. Currently, America has thousands of troops in Iraq and hundreds in Syria, but their mission is to train local forces and not engage in direct combat with IS.