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Trump arrived in Vietnam this week for the APEC summit and commemorated Veterans Day surrounded by Vietnam war veterans while Twitter couldn't handle the irony of it REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

US President Donald Trump visited Vietnam this week for a summit on the fourth leg of his 12-day maiden tour of Asia, and Twitter users immediately responded with the same joke. The trip marked Trump's first visit to Vietnam as president and immediately triggered a slew of sharp comments and jokes over the fact that Trump never served in the US Army despite being eligible during the Vietnam War.

Trump had obtained multiple deferments – four due to educational purposes and one for alleged bone spurs in his feet.

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The president arrived in Vietnam to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit and marked Veterans Day (11 November) by spending time with several American veterans of the Vietnam War. About 58,000 Americans were killed in the war.

Trump also signed a proclamation commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, as part of the 13-year long celebration honoring the troops.

"We just want to thank you and all of the thousands and thousands and all of the people that served with you and in all of the other wars," Trump said and called the veterans "great, great warriors".

"You are the heroes who fulfill your duty to our nation. And each of you, under the most difficult conditions, did what you had to do, and you did it well," Trump said.

"They are definitely tough, smart cookies. We like them," Trump said of the group of veterans in attendance. "I think they like me too. I'm not sure, but I think they do."

Naturally, Twitter was quick to bring up Trump's deferments and bone spurs excuse in light of his trip to Vietnam saying Trump "finally made it" to the country nearly 50 years after avoiding the draft.

"I'm surprised the President was able to make it to Vietnam on this trip, considering his debilitating bone spurs," one Twitter user wrote. Another said: "Careful walking in case those bone spurs flare up."

Others chose to focus on the "irony" of Trump commemorating Veterans Day in Vietnam surrounded by a group of veterans who fought in the war.

"2.7 million Americans served in the Vietnam War. My father was one of them," one person wrote. "He didn't have bone spurs, but he and his fellow troops had their innocence ripped from them and they'd do it again in the name of patriotism. F you & your bone spurs, pitiful @POTUS."

"Careful walking in case those bone spurs flare up," one person tweeted.

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