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Trump denies calling John McCain and fallen soldiers 'suckers and losers', accuses 'fake news' of smear campaign

Trump reportedly told his senior staff that they were 'not going to support that loser’s' funeral while talking about McCain's death in 2018

After a report in Atlantic surfaced on September 3 disclosing that President Donald Trump disparaged former prisoner of war and Senator John McCain after his death in 2018 by saying he is "not going to support that loser's" funeral, POTUS tries to do some damage control by tweeting. 
 
Trump tweeted on September 3: "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...." He continued, "..Country, had to be approved by me, as President, & I did so without hesitation or complaint. Quite the contrary, I felt it was well deserved. I even sent Air Force One to bring his body, in casket, from Arizona to Washington. It was my honor to do so..."

He stated he never called John a “loser” and it is just fake news that is doing rounds. "Also, I never called, 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!"

According to Atlantic, When Trump canceled a visit to Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris in 2018, he blamed the rain for it. He reportedly told his senior staff members on the morning of the visit: "Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers." On the same trip, Trump allegedly referred to the more than 1,800 marines who lost their lives at Belleau Wood as “suckers” for getting killed.

The Atlantic report included an anecdote about McCain which was based on three anonymous sources who had direct knowledge of POTUS’s decry toward McCain who is not just a war prisoner but also represented Arizona on Capitol Hill for more than three decades. As per the Atlantic report, Trump told his senior staff that they were "not going to support that loser's" funeral while talking about McCain’s funeral in August 2018. Trump was reportedly anguished when he saw flags lowered to half-staff. "What the f**k are we doing that for? Guy was a f***ing loser," the president told aides, as per the Atlantic story. 

The report added that Trump asked aides during a 2018 planning meeting of a military parade if wounded veterans should be included in the parade. The report mentions that he said spectators would feel uncomfortable in the presence of amputees. "Nobody wants to see that," he reportedly said. However, the report mentions that Alyssa Farah, a White House spokesperson, called the report false.

No sooner did Trump try to clear his name by explaining his stand on McCain, Internet and several politicians started to lambast POTUS. However, his supporters called the Atlantic report false. National Press Secretary for Trump regime J Hogan Gidley tweeted, "My response to the horrible lies from anonymous 'sources' in the Atlantic."

Some said Trump was being disrespectful towards war heroes. "He called the White House a dump, calls our military losers, ignores bounties on our soldiers' heads, prefers dictators over our public servants, mocks Gold Star families and widows of fallen soldiers, doesn’t care if hundreds of thousands of us die. He hates America." 

However, some came in support of Trump. Activist J T Lewis tweeted, "The media is desperate to portray Trump as a bad person (he is NOT) because his poll numbers are improving and he is on track to WIN! Don’t believe made up stories with 'anonymous sources!'" 

An enraged user tweeted: "I'm french and we praise this American soldiers, who are buried in this cemetery the Donald refused to visit, because it could have ruined hes hair…"

Another concurred, "Trump you are disrespectful. How dare you speak against any America soldiers that died and were buried in French Cemeteries. How can you call anyone that served our country losers? Shame on you! Agree?"

A user supporting Trump said, "I never liked what he said about mccain even though didn't agree with him but trump showed way more support for military. Again beveling anything bad about. Peek TDS."