DOCUMENT: Celebrity, Investigation

Deferments Helped Trump Dodge Vietnam

How the presidential candidate avoided combat

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Trump Draft Deferment

7/18/15 UPDATE: Now that Donald Trump has maligned Senator John McCain as a phony war hero who got himself captured in Vietnam, below you’ll find a reminder--which TSG published the last time the Republican claimed to be running for president--how Trump avoided military service.

The son of a wealthy real estate developer, Trump received four student deferments that were followed by a 1968 medical deferment that came a few months after he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania.

After denigrating McCain during remarks today at the Family Leadership Summit in Ames, Iowa, Trump faced reporters’s questions about his lack of service. Asked about the last of his five deferments, Trump said that his disqualifying medical condition was a bone spur in one of his feet (he could not remember which one). It is unknown on which golf course the injury was sustained.

APRIL 28, 2011--Despite Donald Trump’s claim this week that he avoided serving in the Vietnam War solely due to a high draft number, Selective Service records show that the purported presidential aspirant actually received a series of student deferments while in college and then topped those off with a medical deferment after graduation that helped spare him from fighting for his country, The Smoking Gun has learned.

During a TV interview Tuesday morning, Trump--who spent his high school years enrolled at the New York Military Academy--said, “I actually got lucky because I had a very high draft number. I’ll never forget, that was an amazing period of time in my life.”

He went on to recall, “I was going to the Wharton School of Finance, and I was watching as they did the draft numbers and I got a very, very high number and those numbers never got up to.” The word “deferment” was not mentioned by Trump during his chat with the morning show hosts on WNYW, the Fox affiliate in New York City.

However, Selective Service records reveal that Trump, the fortunate son of a multimillionaire real estate baron, took repeated steps to avoid serving in Vietnam.

By the time his number (356) was drawn during the December 1, 1969 draft lottery, Trump had already received four student deferments and a medical deferment, according to military records on file with the National Archives and Records Administration. An extract of Trump’s Selective Service Classification record, seen here, was provided in response to a TSG records request.

In fact, the December 1969 draft lottery occurred about 18 months after Trump graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied business at the Wharton School. So, while claiming that he would “never forget” being at Wharton watching the draft numbers being drawn, the 64-year-old Trump seems to have misremembered, as candidates are fond of saying.

Trump obtained his first two Class 2-S student deferments in June 1964 and December 1965, when he was student at Fordham University in the Bronx. He was briefly reclassified as 1-A--or "available for military service"--in late-November 1966, but that classification was switched back to 2-S three weeks later.

Another 2-S deferment is dated January 16, 1968, just months before his graduation from UPenn (to which he transferred following his sophomore year at Fordham).

Following his UPenn graduation, Trump--no longer qualified for a 2-S deferment--was again briefly classified as available for service on July 9. However, three months later, on October 15, his classification was switched to 1-Y, which was given to men deemed qualified for military service “only in time of national emergency.”

The 1-Y classification came a month after Trump underwent an “Armed Forces Physical Examination,” according to Selective Service records, which note the results of the exam as “DISQ.” While the military records do not further detail why Trump was granted the 1-Y deferment, a 1992 biography of the businessman by journalist Wayne Barrett reported that Trump received a medical deferment following the September 17, 1968 exam.

Trump’s 1-Y classification stayed in effect until February 1, 1972 when it was changed to a 4-F classification (which covered registrants not qualified for military service). The change in classification was likely prompted by the military’s December 1971 decision to abolish the 1-Y classification.

The Selective Service records also include a copy of the registration card signed by Trump in June 1964, 10 days after he turned 18. The possible future Commander-in-Chief, it turns out, has birthmarks on both his heels. (3 pages)

Comments (75)

I see that alot of you will condem him and say Clinton was a great man !!! He ran to Canada to avoid the draft !!! Aleast Trump played in the roles !
Actually, it was the wacky hairdo (hair-don't) that kept Donald out of the army. The army is willing to bend the rules a little in order to pad the recruiting numbers sometimes, but even the Vietnam-era military wasn't desperate enough to bend over that far. As a Vietnam-era veteran, I think the army may have been better off without Trump. Had he been in a combat unit, I'm sure there would have been one more fragging in the record books.
Donald Trump cheated America out of his service in the military. For those of you who were not of age during those years it was not a simple matter to get a student deferments and then a medical 4-F classification. Especially when you had para-military training like Trump did. When he was eligible they were drafting kids into the Marines. Trump was a coward for not serving. All he had to do was to sign a waiver and as long as he could walk and talk they would take him. I signed a waiver at 18 in 1968 and served 4 years in an elite code-breaking group. If Trump was a smart as he says he is he would have been welcomed into services for his brains. Funny how he goes from star athlete to 4-F as soon as his student deferments run out. He should either tell us what his medical 4-F was all about (and how he went from medically fit two years early and then to 4-F in two years). A coward then, a bully now. If he announces he is running there will be 1000's of veterans against him for sure.
Truely a hit piece. Student deferments were the norm. And obviously he failed the physical after being called up. All normal stuff. Why he didn't just say that I don't know. I personally had an occupational deferment during Viet Nam. However in 1968 LBJ decided to take a look at guys in my classification and called us up for a physical which I failed. The Selective Service Board controlled who got what type classification. The only person who finessed the board was Bill Clinton.
Vietnam was an illegal undeclared war. Trump must be a Constitutionalist.
I would love to see photos of the “birthmarks on both his heels” listed as his identifying physical characteristics on Image 2. Perhaps, what he is really trying to hide is (66) (6), the Number of the Beast described in the Book of Revelation.
While Donald is traveling all over the place making a perfect fool of himself, his wife is probably having the time of her life with the plumber, pool-boy, butcher and the sweaty ole' groundskeeper.
Trump is a Democrat who was making cash contributions to Democrats Harry Reid and Charlie Rangel. Trump gave Rangel $10,000 in 2006 Sure, Trump has been a "registered Republican" since 2009 ... for a whopping two whole years. Besides being a buffoon, Donald Trump is a false flag operation planted by the Democrats to parody the opposition.
Since the 1990 election cycle, the top 10 recipients of Trump's political contributions number six Democrats and four Republicans. Embattled Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.), who was censured last year by his U.S. House colleagues, has received the most Trump money, totaling $24,750. The most recent contribution from Trump to Rangel was a $10,000 gift during the 2006 election cycle. In the most recent election cycle, Trump doled out $22,500 to political candidates, of which $16,200 benefited Democrats. http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2011/02/donald-trumps-donations-to-democ...
All repukelibaggers are liars and idiots by definition, and you just keep digging yourself deeper into your sewer.
Hello numbnuts, Trump's voter registration history is a matter of the public record as are all voter registration records. Donald Trump registered as a Democrat in 1987 and was registered as a Democrat all the way through the 2006 elections. He only switched parties in 2009 http://webofdeception.com/trump.html
Hello diseased vagina, not that we really needed to know your sexual history, but anyone can register under any party, and many do register under the opposition for primary voting purposes, but that's obviously way too complicated for you. All that counts is that he's a teabagger, desperate for attention and Koch money.
I bet you die hard when you take it up the keister, chump. Most of Trumps campaign contributions went to Democrats http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2011/02/donald-trumps-donations-to-democ...
It's always fun to watch Democrats (including Trump) slinging mud at each other. Trump served his purpose by forcing Obama to act on the brith certificate issue and hopefully he'll continue to dog Obama throughout the campaign. But, it would be also be good that the Democrats continue to seek and find dirt on Trump because he's too flamboyant and wishy-washy to be president. On with the show!
Nobody gives a rat's carcass about the phony whackjob who has lost more money than he ever made -- as usual, for you teabagger-repugnantcans who only know how to steal and whine -- but if you morons get your kicks from listening to a crazy old fat ugly coot wave his weenie, hey, knock yourselves out. Preferably permanently.
Die Hard. I should not put myself on the same low shelf you are sitting on. I just had to say you cannot be a day over 14 years old. you cannot write 1 single line without. Cutting someone down, Or calling someone a Slurred Name. Why Don't you go sit in the Middle of a 4 Lane Highway, And play with a Rattle Snake??? Before your Daddy catches you on his Computer and Spanks your ass.
"It is time to get down to the important business at hand, to put an end to these distractions, these sideshows," he said, as he walked onto the stage of the Oprah Whale-fry Show.
IS IT ME.. OR CAN ANYBODY ELSE TELL THAT OBAMAS BIRTH CERTIFICATE IS BOGUS.. YOU CAN TELL THAT THE SAME PERSON SIGNED AND DATED BOTH NAMES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE.. NICE TRY.. DOESNT FLY..
It's just you, because you're stupid and insane, and reality makes your single shriveled brain cell hurt.
Oh Paleezzzzzzzz! I truly hope you Birthers keep after it now, because if you do, the country will send a very clear message of their disgust of the Birther and Tea Bagger Movement in 2012 For the Record, WHEN the Birth Certificates are requested the head of the Hawaiian Department of Health, in this Case Alvin T Onaka, signs it as a certified copy by the state. Here... This link is just for you http://goo.gl/Xj14L PS The fact that you type everything in all capital letters provides the clue to your IQ
I am not surprised by the number of politicians, and Presidents of this great nation never serving their country. I am a U.S. Army veteran, and also a Navy veteran from the country I come from. I am a Latino from South America. It is sad, but it is true. Many people live their lives with the best education, and financial resources that this country achieved thanks to the Armed Forces (and their Veterans). Some politicians and even presidents never wore an U.S. uniform, but (still) do their best to deny and even misuse resources to protect the people whom made this country great. To those whom benefit from the effort and sacrifice of the veterans…”Shame on you "political parasites.”
Well said....this country will never appreciate veterans....those who've been in combat are not so eager to send others into harm's way if at all possible.
Umm... Bill Clinton was a draft dodger and he was President for 2 terms. That still blows my mind! You can't fight for this country, but you can run it? WTF is that?! The same applies for Donald Duck... I mean Trump!
Bill Clinton was not a draft dodger. Bill Clinton earned a Rhodes Scholarship. That's not the same as rumpy's flunking half his classes every year to stay in some third-rate backwoods "college." George Dumbya WAS a draft dodger. After getting his daddy's buddies to appoint him to the drunk-unit of the Texas Air National Guard, where he was never actually allowed to do anything except sit in the airplane seat, he deserted and ran off to stay coked up in a Mexican brothel rather than take a pee test, and then told five different lies about it. Ronald Reagan WAS a draft dodger, but he was just too stupid and too senile to tell the difference between a movie set and a real gun.
I didn't know that the smoking gun was a left-wing media machine for Demos. I knew your news was second rate at best and no better than the New York Times...but at least you use to be funny. Here's some good advice stick to what you do best providing funny news to get me through the day... leave the politics out. It makes you sound bias...idiot!
Ivana Trump, Maria Maples, Melania Trump, Guadalupe the day maid and Ignacio the pool-boy all agree that Donald wears "Depends" and has a very small ...
hahahahaha Obama had a blast by waiting and letting these idiots all cranked up . Only ot make them look like the idiots they are .. With he bancruptsy king and tax evader Trump leading the pack .. He did not make Obama do anything but laugh at his stupidity .. Carnival Hawker is the right name for Trump. He is a bujoise pig.. He has calss but its all low and tacky.
"Submitted by MagnumXL on Fri, 2011-04-29 10:53.Trump is a typical reich-wing GOPig. In other words, he's a liar, a coward, and a rodeo clown." Shooting off at the mouth again, I see...
"Submitted by MagnumXL on Fri, 2011-04-29 10:53.Obama proved that Trump is a liar. Obama 1 - Trump 0." I bet that's some good weed you've got there... Where in this story did Obama do anything? TSG made the record request. The corrected score: Obama 0 - Trump 1. Additions: TSG - 1 MagnumXL - 0. Trade in that all hat and no cattle avatar (MagnumXL) for one that fits ya boy, like "Blank Pistol".
You may as well lose the first five letters and shorten it to something you can spell so you remember what you're saying, fart.
And now let's compare Trump's records to those of Obam..... oh, right, sorry. Nevermind. Top secret.
"An extract of Trump’s Selective Classification record, seen here, was provided in response to a TSG records request." Hummmmm..... you guys should have asked for Obama's birth certificate. I'm suprised they just handed over what could be classified as Trump's medical records.
On Fri, 2011-04-29 10:55 Zap Vishnu said "Yet another white guy born on third base thinking he hit a triple. xoxo Zap " Way to go Zap. You're another racist with an ego to match any white supremacist out there.
Yet another white guy born on third base thinking he hit a triple. xoxo Zap
He probably got his medical deferment for having no balls.
I heard it was Vaginitus.....
Trump is a typical reich-wing GOPig. In other words, he's a liar, a coward, and a rodeo clown.
Yeah, against the wars and highly critical of Dubya. Right wing my ass. Brilliant commentary, dipshiat.
Am I missing something? The first draft was in December of 1969, so he could not have been drafted anyway during the times he was in college and grad school (he finished Wharton in 1968). Thus, the so-called "deferments" had no effect on keeping him out of Vietnam. On the other hand, he obviously is misremembering being in college during the 1969 draft, but that is a relatively minor memory glitch.
What you're missing, AnalysisBoy, are the facts and analysis necessary to understand the issue. The United States had a draft in place dating back to World War II. In the 60's, both before and at the height of the Vietnam War, and during the period of time when Trump was in college, millions of men age 18 and older were drafted into the military. Trump managed to use student and medical deferments to avoid service throughout this period. Draft card burnings and other forms of draft protest were used as part of the larger effort to protest and end US involvement in the Vietnam War. The draft, as those of us who grew up in that era knew it, was forever changed in 1969 -- well after Trump finished college -- when Nixon replaced it with the draft lottery, which then was replaced in the 70's with the all-volunteer Army. Trump's avoidance of the draft during the 60's had nothing to do with the luck of a lottery number. The thing with Trump now is that, as with his claims about Obama's birth certificate, it isn't misremembering. He is just flat out lying about his draft record and he knows it. He used every device at his disposal to keep from being drafted, as did so many others. [I enlisted and went to Vietnam myself]. But he must think we're all too stupid to see it, or that we weren't going to find out.
Holy cow. I was missing something: He's just a big fat liar. As you can see from my original post, I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, but this is a casual, outrageous and easily disproven lie. What a buffoon. Although I have heard of draft dodgers and draft card burners, I did not know the dates that the "draft" started and the selective service website focuses on the draft lotteries that started in 1969. Thanks for the "facts and analysis"
The fist draft "Lottery" was in 1969. That draft was based on your birthday. The regular draft (local draft board) was in effect prior to that.time period.
maybe he should have hid these documents in Hawaii, nobody ever looks there!
Certainly no Trump investigator.
Now the press (TSG included) will tell us what an idiot and loser Trump is. But wait! He whipped Obama's ass on the Birth Cert. issue, he forced Obama's hand, and Trump won! Soooooo........, the mighty president was beaten by a idiot and loser, what does that make Obama?????????
Yeah!!! That Trump is guy is so brilliant that he forced Obama to release his birth certificate two whole years after he released it the first time!!!!
Obama proved that Trump is a liar. Obama 1 - Trump 0.
And Trump proved that Obama is a clueless mook. Obama waited until over 25 percent of all Americans (and 56% of Republicans) came to believe that he was born outside the US before releasing what he could have released when Hillary asked for it 3 years ago. How many of those 25% actually heard that the BC finally got released? Obama is his own worst procrastinating enemy. And he just boosted the ratings for Trump's next TV or radio talk show. What an amateur. Trump has been lifting his leg on empty suits like Barry for decades.
that's right Floyd, and hey, I got a chuckle out of it. I, like most hardworking Americans, could have a perfectly normal conversation with Trump, mostly because I'm not a fake. But he will eat Obama for breakfast.
For those of you who don't get it: The news here is not the deferments, it's Donald's current baldfaced lying about it.