Former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg Pete ButtigiegBipartisan praise pours in after Ginsburg's death Bogeymen of the far left deserve a place in any Biden administration Overnight Defense: Woodward book causes new firestorm | Book says Trump lashed out at generals, told Woodward about secret weapons system | US withdrawing thousands of troops from Iraq MORE (D), a former naval intelligence officer, said Sunday that comments by President Trump Donald John TrumpUS reimposes UN sanctions on Iran amid increasing tensions Jeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Trump supporters chant 'Fill that seat' at North Carolina rally MORE on traumatic brain injuries (TBI) make "my blood boil."

"Traumatic brain injury is life-threatening, not just at the time but for the rest of your life as well," Buttigieg, a 2020 Democratic hopeful, told CBS’s Ed O’Keefe. "For the president to belittle that kind of sacrifice ... to turn around and demean the experience of soldiers in harm’s way ... is one more example of why Donald Trump has no business anywhere near the Situation Room."

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"It makes my blood boil, the president of the United States showing this level of disrespect," Buttigieg added. "He’s their commander in chief right now. Their lives depend on his wisdom and judgment right now, and he can’t even show a basic level of concern."

Trump, discussing the results of an airstrike by Iran on an Iraqi base housing U.S. troops in retaliation for the killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, said recently that the troops suffering from TBI had “headaches” that were “not very serious.”

The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) have called on Trump to apologize for the comments, saying in a statement that “TBI is a serious injury and one that cannot be taken lightly. TBI is known to cause depression, memory loss, severe headaches, dizziness and fatigue — all injuries that come with both short- and long-term effects. The VFW expects an apology from the president to our service men and women for his misguided remarks.”