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Donald Trump has denied allegations that he referred to American soldiers who lost their lives in the war as “losers” and “fools.”
The claims date back to 2018 when the US president. canceled his trip to a cemetery in France, which was attributed to bad weather at the time.
According to The Atlantic, Mr trump He is said to have asked his assistants, “Why should I go to that cemetery? It is full of losers.”
In a separate conservation, the president is alleged to have called the US Marines who lost their lives at the Battle of Belleau Wood in World War I “fools.”
The Atlantic said it had spoken to four people with first-hand knowledge of the discussion about the cemetery visit, while the Associated Press news agency said a senior defense department official had confirmed some of the comments, including the comments. of the 2018 cemetery.
However, Trump has insisted that the claims are “totally false.”
Speaking on Air Force One Thursday night, the president, who has consistently positioned himself as a supporter of the military and veterans, denied making the comments, calling the site that posted the comments a “terrible magazine.”
“What animal would say such a thing?” He added.
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told reporters on the flight: “It’s sad how deep people will go in the run-up to a presidential campaign to try to smear someone.”
Trump’s Democratic rival Joe biden he was quick to jump on the allegations, saying, “If the revelations in today’s Atlantic article are true, then they are another indicator of how deeply President Trump and I disagree on the role of the President of the United States.
“Duty, honor, country – those are the values that drive our service members.
Biden added that if he is elected president “he will make sure our American heroes know that I will stand behind them and honor their sacrifice, always.”
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According to The Atlantic, Trump also called Senator John McCain a “loser” after his death and allegedly refused to support his funeral, claims the president also denied.
McCain, who was one of the few major Republican figures who refused to back Trump when he was elected, was captured by opposition forces in the Vietnam War.
In response to Twitter, Trump said he supported McCain’s funeral and even sent Air Force One to transport his body.
He added: “Also, I never called John a loser and I swear by whatever, or whoever, I was asked to swear, that I never called our great fallen soldiers anything other than HEROES.
“This is more fabricated fake news given by disgusting and jealous flaws in a shameful attempt to influence the 2020 election!”
In 2015, Trump criticized McCain, saying he “lost” and “never liked him so much after that, because I don’t like losers.”
He added at the time: “He is not a war hero … I like people who were not captured.”
