Montel Williams Lashes Out at Washington Over Veterans’ Care
Ericka Andersen /
Former talk-show host Montel Williams, a retired U.S. Marine and Navy veteran, delivered an emotional speech slamming the Obama administration and lawmakers in Congress for their treatment of veterans.
Speaking at a Memorial Day picnic in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Williams told an assembled crowd of “a war being waged” on veterans, saying they are being used as “political pawns.”
“I don’t care about politics. What I care about is the fact that this country lives up to its obligation to all of us veterans and provides the care we deserve,” Williams said.
He went on to speak about his dozens of visits to Walter Reed Army Medical Center and trips to Afghanistan, noting that each year there are fewer political leaders and celebrities paying visits to offer encouragement.
“The last two years, they’re not going,” he said. “Guys are still dying; we are at war. How dare this nation treat us this way?”
After the video became a viral sensation, Williams appeared on “Your World With Neil Cavuto,” where he criticized President Obama for not apologizing to veterans in his speech at West Point this week.
He encouraged viewers to tweet him @Montel_Williams and use #VASurge to make their voices heard on this issue.