Joe Biden Responds To Report That Donald Trump Called US Troops ‘Losers’ For Dying In Combat

Joe Biden has responded to a report that Donald Trump called U.S. troops who died in combat “losers,” with the former vice president saying he would always stand by men and women in uniform.

On Thursday, Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic reported that Trump has privately expressed disdain for American troops who died or were wounded in combat and confusion at why they would sacrifice their lives for the United States when there was nothing for them to gain personally by doing so. The report cited several sources close to Trump who confirmed that he repeatedly expressed these feelings toward military members.

The Atlantic noted that when Trump canceled a planned visit to Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris in 2018, he claimed it was because his helicopter could not fly in the rain and that Secret Service was unable to drive him there. However, Goldberg claimed the real reason was that he did not want to ruin his hair in the rain, and he did not understand the significance of the memorial to Americans who lost their lives there in World War I.

“Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers,” he reportedly said.

The allegation has attracted widespread condemnation and prompted a reply from Trump’s Democratic opponent, who has tried to offer voters a contrast to what he sees as a lack of proper appreciation of U.S. service men and women from Trump.

Biden took to Twitter to share the article and offer a comment. While not mentioning Trump specifically, Biden wrote that if he were elected president, he would make sure to stand by U.S. troops and honor the sacrifices they made for the nation.

“Here’s my promise to you: If I have the honor of serving as the next commander in chief, I will ensure that our American heroes know that I will have their back and honor their sacrifice. Always,” he wrote.

Biden has taken efforts to honor troops during his campaign, including a visit to the Delaware Memorial Bridge Veteran’s Memorial Park, where he laid a wreath.

His efforts have helped him earn an unusually high level of support from active-duty members. A Military Times poll released this week shows that Trump’s support among this group has fallen, and he now trails Biden by a mark of 41 percent to 37 percent. A poll taken in October 2016, by contrast, showed Trump leading then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton by close to 20 points among service members on active duty.