US President Donald Trump rejected allegations that he bashed fallen soldiers as “losers” and “suckers,” hitting back at a recent story in the Atlantic that relied on anonymous sources, which he called “more made up fake news.”
The Atlantic article, published on Thursday, claims the president disparaged dead American soldiers on several occasions throughout his term, citing a flock of nameless officials and aides, none of whom would go on record with their accounts. The story also noted Trump’s “contempt” for the late GOP Senator John McCain – who was taken as a prisoner of war during the conflict in Vietnam – alleging he refused to support McCain’s funeral because “[the] guy was a f**king loser.”
..Country, had to be approved by me, as President, & I did so without hesitation or complaint. Quite the contrary, I felt it was well deserved. I even sent Air Force One to bring his body, in casket, from Arizona to Washington. It was my honor to do so. Also, I never called..
Trump weighed in on the claims later on Thursday evening, acknowledging that he was “never a big fan of John McCain,” but brushing aside the notion that he had ever denigrated US soldiers, deeming the allegations a “disgraceful attempt” to sway the 2020 presidential race.
This is more made up Fake News given by disgusting & jealous failures in a disgraceful attempt to influence the 2020 Election!
....John a loser and swear on whatever, or whoever, I was asked to swear on, that I never called our great fallen soldiers anything other than HEROES. This is more made up Fake News given by disgusting & jealous failures in a disgraceful attempt to influence the 2020 Election!
Speaking to reporters after a campaign trip to Pennsylvania late on Thursday evening, Trump argued “there is nobody that respects [the troops] more” than he does, and called the anonymous sources – if they even exist – “lowlifes and liars.”
It's a disgrace that a magazine is able to write it. And anybody that – if they really exist, if people really exist that would have said that, they’re low lifes and they’re liars... No animal, nobody, what animal would say such a thing?
While campaigning for the presidency in 2015, before McCain passed away, Trump harshly criticized the Senator, stating he was “not a war hero” and “I like people who weren’t captured” – one of the few on-record incidents cited in the Atlantic story. Asked about his remarks later, however, Trump backtracked, saying “If somebody’s a prisoner, I consider them a war hero.”
Prior to the president’s Thursday night tweets, White House spokesperson Alyssa Farah rejected the story as unequivocally untrue.
“This report is false. President Trump holds the military in the highest regard,” she told the Atlantic in a statement. “He’s demonstrated his commitment to them at every turn: delivering on his promise to give our troops a much needed pay raise, increasing military spending, signing critical veterans reforms, and supporting military spouses. This has no basis in fact.”
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, Trump’s rival in the 2020 race, later shared the Atlantic story with his Twitter followers, vowing to support the troops should he be victorious in November – though he was careful not to repeat any of the story’s uncorroborated claims.
Here’s my promise to you: If I have the honor of serving as the next commander in chief, I will ensure that our American heroes know that I will have their back and honor their sacrifice. Always. https://t.co/wMFHHscD51
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