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Reuters
Protesters gathered outside Trump National Golf Club in Virginia
US President Donald Trump described the journalist “Slimipool” who was quoted as saying that the dead American soldiers were “losers” and “idiots.”
He likened the Atlantic magazine report to the unproven accusations leveled against him of colluding with Russia to win the 2016 presidential election.
The dreaded quotes were independently confirmed by the Associated Press.
Veterans groups are among those condemning Mr. Trump, less than two months after the 2020 election.
The Progressive Group Vote He posted a video clip of families whose children were killed in the fighting. Someone says, “You don’t know what the sacrifice is.”
Paul Reichhoff, an American veteran in Iraq and Afghanistan, chirp: “Who’s really surprised about this?”
A small group of protesters waved banners in front of the President’s motorcade on Saturday near Trump National Golf Club in Virginia.
Trump has long bet on claiming strong support among the military, and last year the Pew Research Center found that veterans were generally supporting him as commander in chief, with 57% in favor. The research found that three-fifths of veterans are Republicans.
What did Trump say?
According to The Atlantic, when Mr. Trump canceled a visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery outside Paris in November 2018, 100 years after the end of World War I, he said it was “full of losers.”
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Environmental Protection Agency
Donald Trump visited the US cemetery of Sorens during his 2018 trip to France
Four sources told the magazine that he rejected the idea of the visit because it would rain down his hair, and he did not think it was important to honor the war dead in America.
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During the same trip, the president is also alleged to have referred to the 1,800 American soldiers who died in Bellowwood as “suckers.” The battle helped prevent Germany’s advance on Paris during World War I and has been honored by the United States Marines.
The Atlantic cited anonymous sources, but “a senior Defense Department official with first-hand knowledge of the events” and “a senior US Marine Corps officer who was informed of Trump’s comments” confirmed the cemetery’s comments to the AP.
In 2018, the White House said a visit to the cemetery was canceled because bad weather stopped the president’s helicopter. This account was supported in a recent book by former President Trump’s national security advisor, John Bolton, who was an outspoken critic of Trump.
The US Navy also said it has canceled the trip to the cemetery because of the rain In response to a FOIA request from Buzzfeed reporter Jason Leopold.
How did Trump react?
Without referring to Geoffrey Goldberg, the author of the Atlantic Report by name, he tweeted on Saturday: “You are working hard for the Army, to completely rebuild the debilitating anarchy that Obeden left. [the previous presidential administration when Joe Biden was vice-president to Barack Obama], To fix a disrupted VA and fight for a large-scale army salary increase, and then The Slimball Correspondent, perhaps working with disaffected people, makes such a terrible accusation.. “
“It reminds me of the dirty file [the Steele dossier which alleged collusion with Russia]Pushed hard by John McCain, then with a blow it turned out to be a complete fraud. Plenty of other tricks, too. The extreme left is demonic, they will do or say anything to win. But they won’t, we’ll win, and we’ve had four great years! “
Trump went on to attack another journalist, Jennifer Griffin of Fox News, which is usually one of the president’s favorite media.
Griffin had reported derogatory statements about the US military that Mr. Trump allegedly made on other occasions, such as describing soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War as “suckers.”
“Jennifer Griffin should be fired because of this kind of reporting,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “You never contacted us for comment. FoxNews is gone!”
White House officials denied statements allegedly made during the trip to France or emphasized the president’s respect for the military.
What are Trump’s opponents saying?
Biden, the Democratic contender in the November 3 election, said his opponent was “inappropriate” to lead.
“Mr president, If you do not respect our forces, you cannot lead them, He tweeted.
If elected, he said, he would “ensure that our American heroes know I will support their backs and honor their sacrifice. Always.”
Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth, a veteran who lost both legs while serving in Iraq, said President Trump “loved using the American military for the sake of the ego.”
Khazar Khan, the father of a US soldier killed in Iraq who criticized Trump during the 2016 Democratic Conference, joined Duckworth on the call.
“When Donald Trump describes anyone who puts his life at the service of others as a loser, we understand Trump’s spirit,” he said.
What is the position of Trump and the US military?
There have been disagreements and past disagreements.
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Mr Trump sparked outrage by saying that the late Senator John McCain, a prisoner of war in Vietnam, was not a “war hero” saying, “I love people who have not been captured.”
The president has never served in uniform. He had five deferrals from military conscription during the Vietnam War – four for academic reasons and one due to bone spurs, which is calcium accumulated in the heels.
Joe Biden received five postponements to recruiting students during the Vietnam War before he was excluded from service in the Army due to asthma as a teenager.
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