The Atlantic published a “bombshell” report about Trump claiming he called American troops who died in battle “losers” and “sucker.”
The article used anonymous sources to verify these claims. Almost immediately 5 people went on record to dispute the claims.
Even a read of John Bolton’s latest book about his time in the administration disputes this claim.
According to The Daily Wire:
A report published by The Atlantic claimed on Thursday that President Donald Trump called American troops who died in battle “losers” and “suckers,” citing anonymous sources. The story is now being strongly disputed by at least five witnesses who were with the president that day and say that the story is nothing short of a fabrication.
The story from the left-wing outlet comes after the president has clawed his way back in the polls in recent weeks, leading JPMorgan’s Marko Kolanovic, PhD, to tell clients this week that they should start preparing for a “potential Trump re-election.” One likely reason Trump has seen a turn around in the polls is the left-wing rioting and looting that has taken place over the course of the summer in Democrat-controlled cities, many of which declined help from the Trump administration to maintain law and order.
…
However, purported emails from officials that day state that the reason that Trump did not attend the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Memorial was, in fact, due to bad weather.
Furthermore, four officials in the Trump administration who were with the president that day went on record, unlike those who made the allegations against Trump, and directly disputed their account of what happened.
White House official has sent an image of redacted email apparently showing "bad weather call" was indeed cause of Trump not attending Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in 2018.
Dan Scavino and Stephen Miller were also both there – and deny Atlantic storyhttps://t.co/jQNgHX0Fd7 pic.twitter.com/Gzre4oYEs9
— Rob Crilly (@robcrilly) September 4, 2020
On that Atlantic Story – @JeffreyGoldberg and his "four sources" claim Trump's helicopter flight to the US/French cemetery wasn't cancelled due to weather.
FOIA docs prove this to be false.
Their "sources" are failing basic fact checks – making them essentially worthless. pic.twitter.com/wAa7FrSxoW
— Techno Fog (@Techno_Fog) September 4, 2020
Jordan Karen is the Personal Aide to President Trump:
This is not even close to being factually accurate. Plain and simple, it just never happened 🤷♂️ https://t.co/8YZlWS83I3
— Jordan Karem (@JordanKarem1) September 3, 2020
Again, this is 100% false. I was next to @POTUS the whole day! The President was greatly disappointed when told we couldn’t fly there. He was incredibly eager to honor our Fallen Heroes. https://t.co/8YZlWS83I3
— Jordan Karem (@JordanKarem1) September 4, 2020
These were some of the moments I witnessed the President show his heart and demonstrate how much he respects the selfless and courageous men and women of our military. I am disgusted by this false attack.
— Sarah Huckabee Sanders (@SarahHuckabee) September 4, 2020
My response to the horrible lies from anonymous “sources” in the Atlantic: pic.twitter.com/uHtgJvrwCb
— J. Hogan Gidley (@JHoganGidley) September 4, 2020
I was with POTUS in France, with Sarah, and have been at his side throughout it all. Complete lies by “anonymous sources” that were “dropped” just as he begins to campaign (and surge). A disgraceful attempt to smear POTUS, 60 days before the Presidential Election! Disgusting!! https://t.co/mQfCNUlyZm
— Dan Scavino (@DanScavino) September 4, 2020
President Trump responded:
I was never a big fan of John McCain, disagreed with him on many things including ridiculous endless wars and the lack of success he had in dealing with the VA and our great Vets, but the lowering of our Nations American Flags, and the first class funeral he was given by our….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 4, 2020
….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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 4, 2020
Lt. General Keith Kellogg (Ret.), National Security Adviser for Vice President Pence:
The Atlantic story is completely false. Absolutely lacks merit. I’ve been by the President’s side. He has always shown the highest respect to our active duty troops and veterans with utmost respect paid to those who have given the ultimate sacrifice and those wounded in battle.
— Keith Kellogg (@generalkellogg) September 3, 2020
Even Bolton’s book refuted the claim, per The Daily Wire:
Former White House national security adviser John Bolton stated in his memoir that President Trump canceled a visit to Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris over weather, undercutting a key claim in a recent story from The Atlantic that the president scrapped the trip because of the “losers” and “suckers” buried there.
Aisne-Marne holds the graves of nearly 2,300 American soldiers, including hundreds of U.S. Marines that died in the Battle of Belleau Wood in June 1918 during World War I. Trump made plans to visit the war memorial in 2018, marking a century since Belleau Wood, but canceled the visit last-minute over rain and unsafe flying conditions.
Bolton continues:
The press turned canceling the military visit into a story that Trump was afraid of the rain and took glee in pointing out that other world leaders traveled around during the day. Of course, none of them were President of the United States, but the press didn’t understand that rules for US presidents are different from the rules for 190 other leaders who don’t command the world’s greatest military forces.
Some have called the smear a sign of panic on the left.
