Marine Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Scheller, jailed following repeated criticism of the military’s botched Afghanistan withdrawal, has said he would rather “sit in jail” than accept help from Donald Trump.
In commentary made prior to his arrest, Scheller made it very clear he’s not a big fan of the former President.
In a Facebook post dated September 25th, the Marine indicated that “while I respect your foreign policy positions” he “hate(s) how [Trump] divided the country.”
“I don’t need or want your help,” Scheller said.
“I could never work with you,” he added. “I’d rather sit in jail and be released with a dishonorable than make compromises in my beliefs.”
Prior to MAGA Trump supporters raising more than $2 million to help with his legal costs, Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller publicly denounced help from the former president and his son, saying he would “rather sit in jail” than accept their support. https://t.co/JICedbwV2f
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) October 5, 2021
RELATED: Parents Of Jailed Marine Demand General Milley And SecDef Austin Resign
Jailed Marine Not A Fan Of Trump
Scheller further remarked prior to being jailed that he doesn’t want to be heralded as some sort of hero by Trump’s family members.
“Tell your son to stop tweeting about me,” the Marine wrote. “Your whole family knows nothing about US or our sacrifices.”
Perhaps Scheller doesn’t appreciate President Trump, but his parents certainly do.
In a Fox News interview, his father indicated that his son never would have been put in the brig if Trump were still in the White House.
“We would not have had the botched exit under President Trump, in my opinion, and so I don’t think Stu would have done what he did, and if we would have been at this point, President Trump would have stepped in if generals were out of hand,” he suggested.
Scheller’s mother also appreciates the financial assistance being lent primarily by supporters of the former President.
“We’re asking for people to support his family by going to Pipe Hitters Foundation.org,” she said. “His family desperately needs funding to live.”
The Pipe Hitter Foundation fundraiser has thus far received over $2.5 million in donations.
The organization, according to Business Insider, is “run by former Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher, who was convicted in 2019 after posing with the dead body of an ISIS captive,” but later granted clemency by Trump.
Lt Col Stuart Scheller is in the brig for questioning Biden’s generals on the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal.
Lance Cpl Hunter Clark is being investigated for being w/ Trump at a rally.
But Gen. Milley still hasn’t been held responsible for anything!
Total double standard!
— Rep. Jody Hice (@CongressmanHice) October 1, 2021
RELATED: Matt Gaetz Brings The Heat, Tells Gen. Milley He Would Have Been Fired If Biden Wasn’t So ‘Addled’
Doesn’t Support Any Leaders
Scheller originally gained fame by refusing to stay silent during the Biden administration’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.
A withdrawal resulting in a suicide bombing that killed 13 service members, a retaliatory drone strike by the United States that killed 10 civilians – including an aid worker and 7 children – and countless Americans being left behind in the Taliban-controlled country.
He has been in “pre-trial confinement” for just over a week according to the Marine Corps, after producing repeated viral videos and statements on social media regarding military leadership.
He doesn’t seem to support any of the previous Commanders-in-Chief either.
In the same Facebook post cited above, Scheller goes after former Presidents Barack Obama (“obviously weak in any intestinal fortitude”), George W. Bush (“obviously ignorant in thinking he could import democracy”), and Bill Clinton (“obviously morally bankrupt” and “this includes his wife”).
In a follow-up post, the Marine, again prior to being jailed, attempted to clarify his remarks about President Trump.
“No, President Trump didn’t divide the country,” he wrote. “But President Trump, in my humble opinion, is incapable of bringing us back together.”
“Did he expose the corruption in the DOJ, media, and other places… yes. Was he the right person to expose the corruption at that time… maybe,” he continued. “Is he honest, accountable, and full of integrity… no.”
Scheller went on to suggest that America right now needs “a leader that will bring US together.”
Marine officer Stuart Scheller has been relieved from duty for this video.
— Cernovich (@Cernovich) August 27, 2021
Scheller released several videos criticizing military leadership, including one which mentioned he was under orders not to speak on social media, but defiantly added, “I’m ready for jail.”
Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) recently addressed Scheller’s imprisonment during a hearing of military leaders before the House Armed Services Committee last week.
Gaetz noted that General Mark Milley and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who helped facilitate a withdrawal that led to dead service members, dead children, and Americans left behind enemy lines, have not been held accountable for their actions.
But Scheller has.
Matt Gaetz rips into Lloyd Austin and Mark Milley over the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal pic.twitter.com/Mmix9ejjtj
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) September 29, 2021
Gaetz:
“But when people in the military like Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Scheller stand up and demand accountability, when they say that you all screwed up, when they point out the General Milley statement that the government of Afghanistan is not going to get defeated by the Taliban. Well, he ends up in the brig and you all end up in front of us and your former employer Raytheon ends up with a lot of money and we have poured cash and blood and credibility into a Ghani government that was a mirage.”
Following the reaction to his Trump comments, Scheller asked everyone to keep an open mind.
“I respect all opinions,” he wrote. “I’m not asking you to agree with me, but to at least consider my perspective.”
A pretrial detention hearing is scheduled for Tuesday to determine if Scheller committed an offense under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
The Marine Corps has assured that he would be “afforded all due process.”
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