The old controversy — that President Trump had been the first president not to make a Christmastime visit to the troops since 2002 — died a quick death when Trump and the first lady showed up in Iraq Christmas night, so it was up to the media to scramble for another controversy.

Robby Starbuck caught this one brewing: it looks like Trump had flown over a bunch of 2020 campaign swag to hand out to the troops, which is a big no-no.

Here’s Philippe Reines (again), who earlier explained how the president’s trip to Iraq earned him “ZERO credit,” assuming that Trump loaded up this transport with Trump 2020 hats and patches and handed them out to every soldier he encountered.

According to The Hill, though, the hats already belonged to the troops, there were only a handful, and they asked.

Trump and first lady Melania Trump also used the roughly three-hour trip to deliver holiday greetings to service members in Iraq, where the U.S. has kept a sustained military presence since the 2003 invasion launched by former President George W. Bush.

The first couple entered the dining hall on base to cheers and applause and they spent time speaking with service members and posing for selfies after the president received a briefing from military and diplomatic personnel.

The president signed several red “Make America Great Again” hats service members had brought as well as a “Trump 2020” patch.

So troops brought their own MAGA hats to have signed by the president during his surprise visit? Should we punish them, Trump, or both?

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But there must be outrage:

Again, according to The Hill’s correspondent, a few troops brought hats they already owned.

The media might try to ride this for a week, but we don’t think this controversy is going to take them very far.

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Update:

Yep, it looks like CNN is trying to make this a thing:

Boy, we sure hope some soldiers are dishonorably discharged over this.

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