MAGA Community Raises $2.2 Million for Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, Who Has Publicly Insulted Trump

 

The majority of Americans were outraged by the Biden administration’s monumental failure of leadership during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. It is viewed by many across the political spectrum as the greatest foreign policy disaster in U.S. history. The decision to abandon Bagram Airfield, leaving behind advanced military vehicles, weapons, and equipment valued at over $80 billion, before withdrawing Americans and our Afghan allies led directly to the deaths of 13 service members and the Taliban takeover of the country. To compound matters, this administration shamefully broke the once sacred military commitment to leave no American behind.

China has stepped up its intrusions into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone. Over the weekend, the country sent 77 military aircraft into the space, its boldest provocation yet. In addition, a spate of reports in the past few days allege that our greatest geopolitical foe may have just occupied Bagram Airfield.

There’s no way to whitewash this humiliating defeat, the devastating consequences of which will be felt for decades to come.

One Marine officer, Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, who had served the country honorably for 17 years, put his job on the line to “demand accountability” from his senior leaders.

I have the utmost respect for this young man. I realize Scheller jumped the chain of command with a very public display while in uniform. But I applaud his courage to risk his career and his pension to bring attention to some very obvious truths.

Despite knowing that President Joe Biden’s foolish decisions would significantly increase the risk to both U.S. troops and American civilians during the withdrawal effort, particularly the abandonment of Bagram Airfield, no one was willing to say, “No, Mr. President. Respectfully, I must resign.”

Scheller has since been relieved of his duties, his income, and his pension. Last Monday, he was placed inside a military jail.

Several days before he was arrested and jailed, Scheller went on a Facebook rant in which he denounced a group of military leaders and former presidents. First on the list was former President Donald Trump. The others included former President Barack Obama; retired Gens. James Mattis and David Petraeus; retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn; Maj. Gens. Julian Alford and Francis Donovan; Gen. Kenneth McKenzie Jr.; and an instructor at a military college.

Scheller informed Trump he doesn’t need or want his help, that he hates how Trump has divided the country, and that he could never work with him. He also wrote, “Tell your son to stop tweeting about me.”

Although Trump has not commented publicly on the Scheller story, his son Donald Trump Jr. has supported him on Twitter.

President Trump. I was told by everyone to kiss the ring because of your following and power. I refuse. While I respect your foreign policy positions, I hate how you divided the country. I don’t need or want your help. You do not have the ability to pull US together. You may even win the next election. But your generation’s time is running out. Tell your son to stop tweeting about me. Your whole family knows nothing about US or our sacrifices. I could never work with you. I’d rather sit in jail and be released with a dishonorable than make compromises in my beliefs.

This was a bad idea for two reasons. First, Trump and his supporters would be natural allies for Scheller.

In fact, on Sunday, Business Insider reported that Make America Great Again supporters had raised over $2.26 million for the embattled former Marine officer.

Second, although the country became more deeply divided during the Trump years, the division was not caused by the former president. It was thrust upon him by a deep state that had broken all the rules, weaponizing once highly revered U.S. institutions against him in an effort first to prevent his victory, and afterward, in a bid to remove him from the presidency.

Scheller wrote that, “Your whole family knows nothing about US or our sacrifices.” I would argue that Trump does know a thing or two about sacrifice. He and his family lived a charmed life prior to his run for the presidency. Then the attacks from the left began, and they weren’t limited to the candidate. The entire Trump family was fair game.

His campaign was subjected to tactics and scrutiny never before witnessed in American politics, and the corruption went all the way to the top. In October 2020, then-Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe declassified then-CIA Director John Brennan’s handwritten notes dated July 28, 2016. He made the notes after briefing then-President Obama about Hillary Clinton’s scheme to “stir up” the race. The notes referenced her “plan” to portray Trump as an agent of Russia as “a means of distracting the public from her use of a private email server,” according to Fox News. They were all in on it.

Following Trump’s unexpected victory, they all doubled down on the ruse, diminishing trust in his nascent administration and casting a shadow over his entire presidency. The FBI and other intelligence agencies relentlessly conspired against him — as did the legacy media. It continues to this day.

Trump then endured two sham impeachments.

So, to address Scheller’s point, I think it’s safe to say he knows a thing or two about sacrifice and has a pretty clear idea of how the U.S. government operates.

Former President Donald Trump is one of the most patriotic presidents we’ve ever had. I am convinced that he loves America.

And as much as I respect Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller for standing up to military leadership over its disastrous handling of the U.S. exit from Afghanistan, his rejection of Trump is not based in fact.

Please follow me on Twitter.

Published in Foreign Policy
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  1. Flicker Coolidge
    Flicker
    @Flicker

    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… (View Comment):

    I looked up the video by Lt. Col. Scheller that gave me the negative reaction that I referenced in #12 above. I found an edited version that included the 2 statements that I recalled giving me concern. It’s only about 2 minutes long, and there is a bit of foul language.

    At about 1:12, he said: “Follow me, and we will bring the whole [expletive] system down.”

    At 1:40, he said: “For the over 2 million dollars that I would potentially receive in retirement for the rest of my life, for the however much extra the disability would be, I think that money should go back to all the senior general officers, because I think they need it more than I do, because when I am done with what I’m about to do, you all are going to need the jobs and the security.”

    So I don’t think that I was entirely imagining things when I had a “boogaloo” concern. However, he was under a lot of stress, and might just have been ranting a bit carelessly.

    I haven’t heard “Boogaloo” in six months, and then it was only cursory.  What are they?

    • #31
  2. JoelB Member
    JoelB
    @JoelB

    From Wikipedia:

    The boogaloo movement, whose adherents are often referred to as boogaloo boys or boogaloo bois,[3] is a loosely organized far-right anti-government extremist movement in the United States.[4][5][6][7][8][9] It has also been described as a militia.[10][11][12] Adherents say they are preparing for, or seek to incite, a second American Civil War or second American Revolution which they call “the boogaloo”

    Just in case there was anyone as ignorant of the term as I was. Sounds like its right up there with the Proud Boyz, Q-Anon and even the KKK in the army of straw men.

     

    • #32
  3. Flicker Coolidge
    Flicker
    @Flicker

    JoelB (View Comment):

    From Wikipedia:

    The boogaloo movement, whose adherents are often referred to as boogaloo boys or boogaloo bois,[3] is a loosely organized far-right anti-government extremist movement in the United States.[4][5][6][7][8][9] It has also been described as a militia.[10][11][12] Adherents say they are preparing for, or seek to incite, a second American Civil War or second American Revolution which they call “the boogaloo”

    Just in case there was anyone as ignorant of the term as I was. Sounds like its right up there with the Proud Boyz, Q-Anon and even the KKK in the army of straw men.

    Thanks.  Wikipedia is a little bit to the left.  I’ve read months ago that it was a not at all like the Proud Boys but an internet prank, basically.  Has anyone seen videos of them in action?  Or any of their writings?  What do they do?

    • #33
  4. Hang On Member
    Hang On
    @HangOn

    My take on Scheller is that he is looking for a President who is competent,  takes responsibility and can unite the country. He is also looking for military command that is competent and takes responsibility for foul ups.

    His real problem is that is not a description of the United States at the moment.

    The chain of command is exceedingly important. I am sure that there is information he does not have that is relevant to all of this. He has acted very precipitously.

    The thing I found most disturbing from Milley’s and Austin’s testimony is that their advice was supposed to be private but they divulged it to cover their own rear ends while continuing to serve. A very rotten military structure.

    • #34
  5. Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patriot) Member
    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patriot)
    @ArizonaPatriot

    JoelB (View Comment):

    From Wikipedia:

    The boogaloo movement, whose adherents are often referred to as boogaloo boys or boogaloo bois,[3] is a loosely organized far-right anti-government extremist movement in the United States.[4][5][6][7][8][9] It has also been described as a militia.[10][11][12] Adherents say they are preparing for, or seek to incite, a second American Civil War or second American Revolution which they call “the boogaloo”

    Just in case there was anyone as ignorant of the term as I was. Sounds like its right up there with the Proud Boyz, Q-Anon and even the KKK in the army of straw men.

    I think that the idea of some vast conspiracy is a straw man.

    Just so y’all will know, I didn’t come up with this boogaloo hypothesis (about Lt. Col. Scheller) based on reading left-wing propaganda.  I don’t think that I’d ever read anything about it until my comment earlier today, when I googled the term to make sure that I spelled it properly.

    I heard about it directly, from people sympathetic to the idea who I would describe as libertarian-types with strong Second Amendment views.  I did not get the impression that it was anything well organized, but rather was a term adopted to describe the hypothetical event of an unconstitutional government gun confiscation.  So my impression is that “the boogaloo” is a slang term for the imposition of gun confiscation and perhaps other tyrannical measures by a Left-leaning government, and the contemplation of armed resistance to such an action.

    My impression is that it is inaccurate to claim, like the Wikipedia article, that such people “seek to incite” a civil war or revolution.  It does seem accurate to say that they contemplate such action in response to a possible imposition of tyrannical government, which is a legitimate thought, at least in my view.  It actually seems like standard Second Amendment advocacy, noting the importance of an armed citizenry as a check against tyranny, but with a new — and rather comical — terminology.

    The term, apparently, comes from the movie Breakin 2: Electric Boogaloo, which I somehow failed to catch in the 1980s or thereafter (despite having seen just about every other silly teen movie of the period).

    I mean, here’s the title song to the soundtrack.  It does seem to suggest that the boogaloo boys are mostly joking around:

    Even I don’t remember this one, and I can probably still sing along with 80s hits as obscure as I RanDestination Unknown, or Mexican Radio.

    • #35
  6. I Walton Member
    I Walton
    @IWalton

    It’s interesting that we have folks arguing about what Trump tweeted, in most instances over a year and years ago.  He isn’t the problem and wasn’t the problem.  He was going after the leverage the bureaucracy and giant digital companies have on the US and so was targeted.  He had an unusual, single minded approach to turning the county around.   Biden is the problem, or who every pulls his strings,  and anyone who supports him, or distracts folks from sorting out what these guys are doing to destroy what little remains of the Republic.   I find it amazing how easy some of us make it for these folks, who include Chinese influence and we’re going to start seeing how extensive Chinese control is unless we get rid of Biden then put some fear in the silly VP.

    • #36
  7. Max Coolidge
    Max
    @Max

    Not sure how Scheller is a “young man” and also served 17 years in the Marine Corps… 

    • #37
  8. I Walton Member
    I Walton
    @IWalton

    Max (View Comment):

    Not sure how Scheller is a “young man” and also served 17 years in the Marine Corps…

    Anyone less than 40 is a young man and for me anyone in their 50’s, …maybe 60s, is

    • #38
  9. She Member
    She
    @She

    I Walton (View Comment):

    Max (View Comment):

    Not sure how Scheller is a “young man” and also served 17 years in the Marine Corps…

    Anyone less than 40 is a young man and for me anyone in their 50’s, …maybe 60s, is

    Agree WRT 40s at least.  Depending on when he signed up, he’s probably in his mid to late 30s.  That’s still pretty young in my book.  I don’t think the fact that some refer to him as “young” is relevant to his current situation, though.  He’s plenty old enough, and more than mature enough,  to know what he’s doing and to deal with the consequences.

    • #39
  10. She Member
    She
    @She

    Hang On (View Comment):
    The thing I found most disturbing from Milley’s and Austin’s testimony is that their advice was supposed to be private but they divulged it to cover their own rear ends while continuing to serve. A very rotten military structure.

    Yes.  One of them, and I can’t remember which, or if it was the CENTCOM commander (peas in a pod) made quite the meal out of how he’d give the committee his “personal opinion” (which was that a contingent of troops should have remained), but that he couldn’t divulge what he’d told the President.  That’s what my granny would have called “having his cake and eating it too,” and what my Dad would have called “trying to buy his arse out of a sling.”

    • #40
  11. Flicker Coolidge
    Flicker
    @Flicker

    Max (View Comment):

    Not sure how Scheller is a “young man” and also served 17 years in the Marine Corps…

    He’s only in his forties.  At the oldest.

    • #41
  12. Bob Thompson Member
    Bob Thompson
    @BobThompson

    Max (View Comment):

    Not sure how Scheller is a “young man” and also served 17 years in the Marine Corps…

    One thing is certain, General Milley is not a young man.

    • #42
  13. She Member
    She
    @She

    He’s been released from the brig. I understand he still under a gag order. We’ll see where this goes next.

    • #43
  14. BDB Inactive
    BDB
    @BDB

    Kevin Schulte (View Comment):

    This really made me think Sheller is not rational. I believe he has a martyr complex. He is not right in the mind even though his cause is just.

    This is why I’ve stayed away from it.  His second video, the one from some sort of camping trailer (not sure), clinched it for me.  I wish him well.

    • #44
  15. She Member
    She
    @She

    BDB (View Comment):

    Kevin Schulte (View Comment):

    This really made me think Sheller is not rational. I believe he has a martyr complex. He is not right in the mind even though his cause is just.

    This is why I’ve stayed away from it. His second video, the one from some sort of camping trailer (not sure), clinched it for me. I wish him well.

    The second video was alarming.  And, like quite a few serving members of the military and veterans I’ve known, he doesn’t seem to have an “off switch.” He’s been charged with six counts of violating the UCMJ and is set for a court-martial sometime soon.  I think this Powerline post is pretty perceptive and even-handed with respect to the matter.  And I agree with its saying that the current military management (I can’t call them leaders, and even “managers” is a stretch) has a bit of a dilemma here.  While it’s their job to enforce discipline in the ranks (something I don’t think anyone on Ricochet disagrees with as a priority)  Scheller’s first video is so direct and honest, and speaks such truth to so many, that drawing the matter out and keeping it in the public eye for any length of time will simply remind the public of the Afghanistan debacle to an extent that creatures such as Austin, Milley, and Blinken may not favor.  An overly harsh sentence will have the same effect.

    I wish him well too.  I really do.  And I’ll stick with him, and hope he makes it through, because even though he’s problematic in some respects, he’s right in the things that matter.

    And I hope against hope that someday, someone will “pay” (a term that Joe Biden immediately drew from his very limited vocabulary in order to threaten the CBP agents on horseback who were trying to rein in–pun intended–the Haitian immigrants) for the apparently long thought out and apparently deliberate disaster that was the final weeks of the Afghanistan withdrawal.

    • #45
  16. BDB Inactive
    BDB
    @BDB

    Boogaloo is defensive.  Preparations are proactive.

    I am a certified issuer of Boogaloo cards.  Let me know if you need to validate your Boogaloo status.

    • #46
  17. Ed G. Member
    Ed G.
    @EdG

    BDB (View Comment):

    Boogaloo is defensive. Preparations are proactive.

    I am a certified issuer of Boogaloo cards. Let me know if you need to validate your Boogaloo status.

    Is that an add-on for my White Male Privilege card? 

    • #47
  18. BDB Inactive
    BDB
    @BDB

    Ed G. (View Comment):

    BDB (View Comment):

    Boogaloo is defensive. Preparations are proactive.

    I am a certified issuer of Boogaloo cards. Let me know if you need to validate your Boogaloo status.

    Is that an add-on for my White Male Privilege card?

    Nope.  Boogaloo is open to all, and it shows.

    • #48
  19. jeannebodine, Verbose Bon Viva… Member
    jeannebodine, Verbose Bon Viva…
    @jeannebodine

    Are the Boogaloo Boys the ones that wear Hawaiian shirts? If so, scary.

    • #49
  20. Hoyacon Member
    Hoyacon
    @Hoyacon

    jeannebodine, Verbose Bon Viva… (View Comment):

    Are the Boogaloo Boys the ones that wear Hawaiian shirts? If so, scary.

    I may have to reassess my wardrobe.

    • #50
  21. Flicker Coolidge
    Flicker
    @Flicker

    jeannebodine, Verbose Bon Viva… (View Comment):

    Are the Boogaloo Boys the ones that wear Hawaiian shirts? If so, scary.

    What’s scary about Hawaiian shirts?  They wore them on Hawaii Five-O.

    • #51
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