Two former senior officials in the Trump administration said that President Donald Trump disparaged veterans and the military on multiple occasions, Fox News reported.
The accounts corroborate recent reports from The Atlantic alleging that Trump called fallen American soldiers “suckers” and “losers,” and that the president long-held contempt for the late Arizona Sen. John McCain, and more.
NEW, @JenGriffinFNC confirms former Trump admin official confirms details in The Atlantic story, including quotes about veterans. When the President spoke about the Vietnam War he said, “It was a stupid war. Anyone who went was a sucker.”
— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) September 4, 2020
The Fox News report alleges that Trump did not want to visit the Aisne-Marne Cemetery during a trip to France commemorating the 100th anniversary of World War I.
“The President was not in a good mood,” one anonymous official says, referencing an earlier interaction that he had with French President Emmanuel Macron. “He questioned why he had to go to two cemeteries. ‘Why do I have to do two’?” they said, according to Fox News. (RELATED: Trump: Secret Service Would Not Let Me Drive To French Cemetary)
Re: trip to mark 100th anniversary of WW I
Source: “The President was not in a good mood. Macron had said something that made him mad about American reliability and the need perhaps for a European army. He questioned why he had to go to two cemeteries. ‘Why do I have to do two’?”— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) September 4, 2020
A former official also said that Trump did not understand why Americans would ever enlist, saying that there was no personal benefit to doing so.
“What’s in it for them? They don’t make any money,” the source said, quoting Trump and describing his inability to understand as a “character flaw,” Fox News reported.
The President also reportedly criticized those who fought in Vietnam, saying that “it was a stupid war,” and that “anyone who went was a sucker.”
According to one former senior Trump administration official: “When the President spoke about the Vietnam War, he said, ‘It was a stupid war. Anyone who went was a sucker’.”
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) September 4, 2020
During a planning session for Trump’s 2019 July 4th military parade, the president also reportedly advocated against including wounded veterans, saying that including “wounded guys” is “not a good look,” and that “Americans don’t like that,” Fox News reported.
Regarding Trump’s July 4th military parade, during a planning session at the White House after seeing the Bastille Day parade in 2017, the President said regarding the inclusion of “wounded guys” “that’s not a good look” “Americans don’t like that,” source confirms.
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) September 4, 2020
One former official also told Fox News that the president did not know why anyone said that McCain as a hero, and that flags were only lowered to half-staff to honor him once Trump “relented,” according to Fox News.
Trump and multiple officials have denied the reports, calling them a “fraud.” Kayleigh McEnany, Trump’s press secretary, also denied the reports during a press briefing Friday, saying that the Atlantic’s four anonymous sources acted “cowardly” and “probably do not even exist.”
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