The press briefing room at the Pentagon (for those out of the country, that's the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense) hasn't been used for official business since May 31, 2018. The last time it was used was last October when actor Gerard Butler was promoting a movie. But yesterday, the literal dust from the lectern was brushed off as the room welcomed KISS frontman and metal merchandise peddler Gene Simmons.
Simmons was there to "thank the troops" according to reports. He also talked about the values his mother instilled in him as she survived the concentration camps and came to America. Tarap Coop reports "Simmons choked back tears as he told the room how his mother was 14 when she was put in a Nazi concentration camp, survived, gave birth to him in Israel and came to America. He was there to help promote military service and thank the service members assembled." He posed for some photos with service members.
@genesimmons graciously came to the Pentagon press room today to shake hands and say thank you to troops. He spoke about the values his mother instilled in him about America. So in the last year, the leader of @KISSOnline and @GerardButler…..who else should show up soon…… pic.twitter.com/pmU4562Wad
— Barbara Starr (@barbarastarrcnn) May 16, 2019
.@KISSOnline Gene Simmons just visited the Pentagon. His visit wasn’t at all what you might have expected it to be. (Thread) pic.twitter.com/YAIWHNebxI
— Tara Copp (@TaraCopp) May 16, 2019
Simmons, and his wife Shannon Tweed, were then stopped coming up to the White House. When a reporter asked Simmons if he planned to meet with Trump, he shrugged.
.@KISSOnline’s @genesimmons is at the White House. pic.twitter.com/OwdWP52z9O
— Sean Doody (@swdoody) May 16, 2019
Perhaps, Simmons is politicking for a cabinet position in Trump's White House. The two are longtime friends and Simmons famously appeared on a season of The Apprentice. Previously, Simmons has called Trump a "Tourette's president" saying:
"But I know the man, by the way — we hung and all that stuff. What you see is what you get. He says stupid things, and so do you, and so [do] I. I'm not validating it, but… There's not a human being that walks on the face of the planet that privately hasn't made racist or anti-Semitic or anti-women jokes, or anti-Irish jokes. Privately, everybody does it. He is a Tourette's president who will say whatever he wants, and he doesn't give a fuck if you approve of him, and he's doing the job for one dollar. I like that."
What a wild time in history! Trump has previously welcomed Kid Rock and Ted Nugent to the White House.
