President Donald Trump is denying a recent report that alleges he previously called American war dead “losers” and “suckers.”
On his way back to Washington, D.C., from a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Thursday, Trump denied a report by The Atlantic.
“I would be willing to swear on anything that I never said that about our fallen heroes. There is nobody that respects them more,” the president said. “So, I just think it’s a horrible, horrible thing… no animal, nobody, what animal would say such a thing.”
He also called it “a disgraceful attempt to influence the 2020 election.”
See Trump’s comments below:
President Trump denies Atlantic story: "I would be willing to swear on anything that I never said that about our fallen heroes. There is nobody that respects them more. So, I just think it's a horrible, horrible thing…no animal, nobody, what animal would say such a thing." pic.twitter.com/hvtXOqKoku
— CSPAN (@cspan) September 4, 2020
The Atlantic published a report on Thursday where the publication claimed that Trump “rejected the idea” of visiting Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris in 2018, not just because of rain, but “he did not believe it important to honor American war dead,” the publication cited four anonymous sources.
“Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers,” Trump allegedly said, according to the publication.
He later reportedly said in another conversation that over 1,800 Marines who died at the Battle of Belleau Wood during World War I were “suckers.”
Citing three anonymous sources, the Atlantic reported that Trump told his senior staff of late-Sen. John McCain, “We’re not going to support that loser’s funeral.”
On flags being half-staff after McCain died, Trump allegedly said, “What the f*** are we doing that for? Guy was a f***ing loser.”
Additionally, the report claims Trump said in 2018 he asked for wounded warriors not to be a part of a military parade. He allegedly said, “Nobody wants to see that.”
White House spokesperson Alyssa Farah also denied the report, telling the publication, “This report is false. President Trump holds the military in the highest regard.”
