The Post's report contained additional information, stating Trump:
told senior advisers that he didn't understand why the U.S. government placed such value on finding soldiers missing in action because they had performed poorly and gotten caught and deserved what they got.Trump's defenders are pointing out that these claims are made by unnamed sources (by citing unnamed sources). ... Well, not everyone is anonymous.
Mary Trump, Donald's niece, told an interviewer (well before The Atlantic's story broke) that Trump threatened to disown one of her sons if he enlisted in the military.
Former Homeland Security chief of staff Miles Taylor confirmed that Trump refused to lower the flag at the White House to half-mast after McCain's death, but eventually he gave in.
Trump himself confirmed the reporting by tweeting some of it, as Jonathan Chait of New York Magazine notes.
Chait also explains how Trump's denial is riddled with falsehoods:
Trump did call McCain a "loser." It's on video. Trump even tweeted the video of himself saying it ...And:
Trump also made a version of the same attack in a 1999 interview, when he said of McCain, "He was captured. Does being captured make you a hero? I don't know. I'm not sure."
Second, while Trump claims he lowered the White House flag to half-mast to honor McCain's death "without hesitation or complaint," four sources told the Times in 2018 that Trump stubbornly refused until finally and belatedly submitting. Former Homeland Security chief of staff Miles Taylor confirmed the account today, on the record.
And finally there is the obvious fact that Trump, in 2015, disparaged John McCain for being captured. That is to say, the private comments Trump is fervently denying are merely grosser versions of his publicly explicated view, that being captured because his plane was shot down makes McCain a loser and not a hero.
This is the most remarkable fact about the defenses of Trump pouring in from the right. Trump is obviously a massive liar. He has already made clear that he does not respect military service. They are throwing what's left of their reputations on the line to deny nothing more than an incrementally worse version of a reality that Trump has already revealed.
Fox News National Security Correspondent Confirms Reporting On Trump's Disparagement of Veterans, Military, Amputees, And McCain
Wallace: The article has been confirmed/matched by none other than Fox News pic.twitter.com/6Ch0jgRcgf
— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) September 4, 2020
Oh 👀 pic.twitter.com/VrybRJAmbt
— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) September 4, 2020
Two former sr Trump admin officials confirm .@JeffreyGoldberg reporting that President Trump disparaged veterans and did not want to drive to honor American war dead at Aisne-Marne Cemetery outside Paris.
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) September 4, 2020
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
This former official heard the President say about American veterans: "What's in it for them? They don't make any money." Source: "It was a character flaw of the President. He could not understand why someone would die for their country, not worth it."
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) September 4, 2020
I read the source a few quotes from The Atlantic article. This former Trump admin official said, "The President would say things like that. He doesn't know why people join the military. He would muse, 'Why do they do it'?"
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) September 4, 2020
Re: trip to mark 100th anniversary of WW I
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) September 4, 2020
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'?"
President Trump's staff explained he could cancel (his visit to the cemetery), but he was warned, 'They (the press) are going to kill you for this'." The President was mad as a hornet when they did.
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) September 4, 2020
When asked IF the President could have driven to the Aisne-Marne Cemetery, this former official said confidently:
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) September 4, 2020
"The President drives a lot. The other world leaders drove to the cemeteries. He just didn't want to go."
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
Regarding McCain, "The President just hated John McCain. He always asked, 'Why do you see him as a hero?" Two sources confirmed the President did not want flags lowered but others in the White House ordered them at half mast. There was a stand off and then the President relented.
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) September 4, 2020
What??? Is this Fox News actually confirming a story about how horrible a human being Trump is??? Will this info actually be reported on air???
— Elizabeth🌊 (@TheHopsbride) September 4, 2020
Fox News has spent all morning pushing back on The Atlantic story, hitting it for relying on multiple anonymous sources.
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) September 4, 2020
Fox News correspondent John Roberts then cites two anonymous sources to refute the allegations that Trump called fallen heroes "losers" and "suckers." pic.twitter.com/WM2w3XuK5U
White House Lying Lackey Refuses To Take Press Questions, Starts Running For The Door While Still Talking!
Wow. The fact that @PressSec runs away without taking any questions is the biggest proof that the Atlantic story is a 💯 true.#TrumpHatesOurMilitary #VetsAgainstTrump pic.twitter.com/LjWAqRJDhA
— Republicans for Joe Biden (@RepsForBiden) September 4, 2020
The Atlantic Magazine is dying, like most magazines, so they make up a fake story in order to gain some relevance. Story already refuted, but this is what we are up against. Just like the Fake Dossier. You fight and and fight, and then people realize it was a total fraud!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 4, 2020
We went ahead and wrote about Fox News simultaneously dismissing The Atlantic "losers" story because of the anonymous sourcing while citing its own unnamed sources to refute it.https://t.co/DBC35woOue
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) September 4, 2020
Giving sources anonymity to say favorable things is fucking ludicrous
— DogDadBod (@DogsDadBod) September 4, 2020
Ladies and gentlemen, I do not believe the Fake News media reports that Donald Trump made such disparaging remarks about our troops. There is no proof that he ever diminished their sacrifice...
— TrumpsTaxes (@TrumpsTaxes) September 4, 2020
::holds finger to earpiece::
Oh I'm sorry, he said what?https://t.co/ShLxXcWJG4
Ladies and gentlemen, the Fake News Media is at it again, claiming that Donald Trump insulted John McCain and his service upon his death, and Donald would never...
— TrumpsTaxes (@TrumpsTaxes) September 4, 2020
::holds finger to earpiece::
Oh wait, he actually said this?https://t.co/SrXnY5Stkh
Ladies and gentlemen, it is absolutely clear that Donald Trump has never treated family members of fallen soldiers with anything other than kindness and respect and...
— TrumpsTaxes (@TrumpsTaxes) September 4, 2020
::holds finger to earpiece::
I'm sorry, he actually did that?https://t.co/1GbKFjkpSv
Ladies and gentlemen, the scurrilous attacks on Donald Trump's character have no merit. You will not find a single complaint from a single member of a fallen soldier's family about...
— TrumpsTaxes (@TrumpsTaxes) September 4, 2020
::holds finger to earpiece::
Oh there's ample evidence of that?https://t.co/U6qmaoctZu
Ladies and gentlemen, Donald Trump has nothing but reverence for all of the long-standing traditions and institutions of our military, and he...
— TrumpsTaxes (@TrumpsTaxes) September 4, 2020
::holds finger to earpiece::
Oh he did this for no reason at all?https://t.co/BSO0btIo8F
Ladies and gentlemen, Donald Trump respects the sacrifices made by our fallen troops, and he has actually taken the time to reach out to the family members of every one of them and...
— TrumpsTaxes (@TrumpsTaxes) September 4, 2020
::holds finger to earpiece::
Oh, he lied about that?https://t.co/qEzJmJ8Pfg
Ladies and gentlemen, since becoming President, Donald Trump has shown great deference and respect to our country's esteemed military leaders, and he...
— TrumpsTaxes (@TrumpsTaxes) September 4, 2020
::holds finger to earpiece::
Oh wait, he called them what?https://t.co/wk98Rgt5qd
Ladies and gentlemen, Donald Trump will always stand up for our military against any and every perceived threat, and there is nothing he wouldn't do to protect...
— TrumpsTaxes (@TrumpsTaxes) September 4, 2020
::holds finger to earpiece::
Oh I'm sorry, he refused to do what about Russian bounties?https://t.co/wO7l2Otv0L
Ladies and gentlemen, nobody respects the service and sacrifice of our great American veterans more than Donald Trump, and he...
— TrumpsTaxes (@TrumpsTaxes) September 4, 2020
::holds finger to earpiece::
Oh hold on, he did what with the money raised for a veterans charity?https://t.co/HP0WrlMMJK
Ladies and gentleman, Donald Trump has always held a deep and abiding respect for our disabled veterans who sacrificed so much for our country, and he...
— TrumpsTaxes (@TrumpsTaxes) September 4, 2020
::holds finger to earpiece::
Oh I'm sorry, he did what to disabled veteran vendors in NYC?https://t.co/92QIsqxPYj
Well played, sir, but you missed one
— J. L. Villesvik (@JVillesvik) September 4, 2020
Tiffany Trump's child support payments would have been ended by Donald if she joined the military: Marla Maples prenup https://t.co/hifg07xafH
Biden, On Trump's Mask-Mocking: "It's Hard To Respond To Something So Idiotic"
Biden: "Quite frankly, if what is written in The Atlantic is true, it is disgusting. It affirms what most of us believe to be true -- that Donald Trump is not fit to be the commander in chief." pic.twitter.com/G0tEPs86fM
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 4, 2020
Biden on Trump: "Bottom line, Mr President, do your job. Get off your golf course and out of the sand bunker. Call the leaders together in the Oval Office. Sit with them and make a deal." pic.twitter.com/KF4COGVQqQ
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 4, 2020
Biden on Trump's comments as reported by The Atlantic: "How would you feel if you had a kid in Afghanistan right now? How would you feel if you lost a son, daughter, husband, wife? ... it's deplorable." pic.twitter.com/xAOGCB5lIz
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 4, 2020
Biden on Trump's refusal to disavow QAnon: "I've been a big supporter of mental health. I'd recommend people who believe it should maybe take advantage while it still exists in the ACA. It's bizarre...what in God's name are we doing? Look at how it makes it look around the world" pic.twitter.com/xau7UXfxbq
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 4, 2020
Biden on Trump mocking him for wearing a mask: "It's hard to respond to something so idiotic." pic.twitter.com/raZf2PANqj
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 4, 2020
Biden on Trump encouraging his supporters to vote twice: "Look, I mean, how many times does this president have to suggest things and say things, where you all don't just write, 'he's a fraud.' Not an opinion." pic.twitter.com/VyrdQJIraS
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 4, 2020
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