Some of the American Legion's senior staff in Washington are making it clear on Twitter that they don't like President Trump, and other veterans' groups and even some people in the government are starting to notice.

While Republicans and Democrats routinely hold jobs in a range of advocacy groups, some of the tweets from top American Legion staffers are getting attention for their anti-Trump bias. The American Legion, the nation's largest veterans group, was chartered by Congress nearly 100 years ago in 1919, and is supposed to operate as a nonpartisan group that works to advance the interests of veterans.

But some of the staff's anti-Trump views are being advertised on Twitter, which has some scratching their heads, in part because of Trump's popularity among veterans. Trump won the support of about two-thirds of the veteran vote.

For example, Louis Celli, the group's national veterans affairs and rehabilitation division director, has made it clear on Twitter this year that he's not a fan of the new administration. This month, he challenged a Department of Veterans Affairs press official who claimed Trump has made progress fixing the VA.

"[E]xactly what progress can this team take credit for?" he asked.



@CurtCashour, exactly what progress can this team can take credit for? “Under President Trump, VA has had its most productive year in decades — we have made groundbreaking progress, particularly in the areas of accountability, transparency and efficiency” https://t.co/yFvd1WfAL6 — Louis Celli (@LouisCelli) May 3, 2018



In the last few weeks, Celli has tweeted out a story on how some fear Trump will dismantle the VA, and how firing former VA Secretary David Shulkin would be a "victory for guys who don't care about veterans." Shulkin was fired soon after that tweet.



Veterans Are Worried Trump Is Poised to Dismantle the VA for Good https://t.co/VFSMEOAVWF via @vice — Louis Celli (@LouisCelli) April 17, 2018



Sources who are inside or otherwise close to other veterans groups say Celli's anti-Trump tweets used to be sharper, and that he was warned by some veteran service organizations and even the Trump White House to ease up on those sorts of tweets. A former Trump administration official told the Washington Examiner that Celli was asked to remove language on his Twitter bio associating him with the American Legion, and said that's why Celli's Twitter page doesn't mention his job.

"We complained about this, got him to change it," the former official said. Another non-government source backed up that story.

The American Legion says that never happened. "The administration has never asked Lou Celli or anyone" to amend a Twitter or Facebook page in any way, said Verna Jones, chief of staff for the group.

Regardless, many think the tweets are getting in the way of the group's mission.

"These are paid staffers," the former Trump official said of the American Legion's staff.

"They're supposed to only reflect what the members want," the former Trump official said of the American Legion's staff. "But when we start hearing the Democratic talking points from [House Minority Leader Nancy] Pelosi come out, when the Democrats sabotage the omnibus, is the American Legion being harsh with them? No. Everyone in the administration has noticed it."

"When you try to partner with them and they do leaks on you, you're not going to partner with them in the same way," the former official added.

Stewart Hickey is the former leader of American Veterans or AMVETS, and holds no formal role with any veterans group now. But he says he's noticed a change at the top of the American Legion and other groups since Trump took office.

"They shifted for Trump," he told the Washington Examiner. "They were supportive of Obama."

He said he's seen examples of statements that he thinks many of their veteran membership would oppose. "That tells me that the people in DC don't really reflect what people think in flyover country," Hickey said.

One current leader of a veterans group who asked to remain anonymous said several groups have hired Democrats or pro-Obama staff, but said the American Legion's staff has been more aggressive in its tweeting.

"It has been very surprising to see so many leftists hired by the American Legion," he said. "They were generally considered one of more conservative VSOs. I think their leadership is out of step with their membership, which is generally very conservative and very supportive of the president."

Jones, the American Legion's chief of staff, declined to answer other questions about whether it makes sense for staffers to tweet against Trump. When pressed, Jones said only that "we deal with that internally with employees," and declined to say if any kind of review had ever been done, or might be done.

But there are examples from other staffers that continue to ruffle feathers. Mackenzie Wolf, who was recently hired to do media relations for the group, essentially tweeted that Trump is shit.



Donald trump is a💩 And he should🤐 — Mackenzie Wolf (@coffeeshopjihad) January 14, 2018



Joe Plenzler, a communications staffer at the American Legion, has tweeted several times in opposition to the NRA and tougher border security, which go against not only Trump's agenda, but some of the positions that the American Legion itself holds.

Plenzler's Twitter page also does not identify him as a staffer for the American Legion.

In one tweet, for example, he said it's "totally cool" to support the Second Amendment but reject the NRA, and in another, he said the "NRA is shady." He also retweeted a New York Times opinion story that called Trump's border plan "irrational."



Hey gang, it's totally cool to support 2A and reject the NRA. — Joe (@JoePlenzler) February 22, 2018

Yep. Follow the money. The NRA is shady. Glad I quit. 👇🏼 https://t.co/2h0mtqiv30 — Joe (@JoePlenzler) March 25, 2018



Those tweets appear to go directly against the American Legion's positions about the NRA and the border. For example, the American Legion works with the NRA on shooting sports in some states.

The group has put out statements that seem to support major elements of Trump's tough border enforcement plan.

While some in Washington have noticed these tweets, most think few veterans have outside of Washington.

"They don't see these statements," the former Trump administration official said of American Legion members. "That's the big disconnect."

