Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine told ABC’s “This Week” that President Donald Trump has always been “extremely respectful” of the military during their interactions.
DeWine also told anchor Martha Raddatz on Sunday that the anonymous sources relied upon by The Atlantic in their story about Trump allegedly disparaging World World I veterans in 2018 should “come forward.” (RELATED: Goldberg Says He Kept Sources Anonymous Because People Would Be Mean On Twitter)
“I read the article,” DeWine said. “But, you know, any time I’ve been with the president and there’s been any discussion about the military, he’s been extremely respectful, what you would expect from the president. That’s been my personal experience.”
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DeWine agreed with his former Senate colleague Chuck Hagel that the sources should “come forward.” Hagel, however, referred to Trump’s prior disparaging remarks about the late Sen. John McCain as evidence that The Atlantic’s story may be true.
“Anonymous sources are interesting, but, you know, it’s never gonna have the credibility I think for the general public unless people actually come forward or willing to do that,” he said. “But again, my experience with the president, he’s been extremely respectful, exactly what you would expect from the president in reference to any conversation in regard to the military, you know he’s come into Ohio.”
Raddatz asked the Ohio governor if he felt the accusations would make a difference in the campaign, to which DeWine responded: “I really don’t know. I mean, you know, we’re into the campaign, you know a lot of things come out in a campaign, and I think sometimes people, when they only come out during a campaign, you know people are somewhat skeptical about them.”
“We’re into the 60 days, so I don’t know what impact that’s going to have, I think, what the president has done in regard to the economy before we hit the virus, you know, I think people in Ohio generally are very happy with that,” he added. “You know, the president made commitments in regard to the Supreme Court and the federal courts, we’re very happy with what he’s done there.”
Trump himself, along with other administration and former administration officials, have vehemently denied the report.