Former President Donald Trump has called on President Joe Biden to take down an attack ad featuring quotes attributed to him in which he allegedly mocks dead soldiers. The quotes, which were first reported by The Atlantic in 2020, include Trump calling fallen soldiers “losers” and “suckers.” Trump denied making these remarks, claiming they were fabricated by his political opponents. The Biden campaign launched the attack ad on the same day that Biden visited the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in France to honor fallen troops, a site that Trump chose not to visit during his presidency.
During a rally in Las Vegas, Trump continued to deny making the “suckers” and “losers” comments, accusing his opponents of being “sick people” for using them in the attack ad. He also criticized the advisors who suggested he not address the allegations, stating that he had to mention them to set the record straight. Trump claimed that it would be impossible for him to make such disparaging remarks about soldiers who died in World War I in front of military personnel.
In a series of Truth Social posts, Trump dismissed the “losers and suckers” claim as “another Democrat Disinformation ‘hit job’” and accused those who believe the statement of being “FASCIST SCUM.” He urged Biden to take down the “Fake Ad” and stop the “unprecedented Weaponization of ‘Justice’ against [his] Political Opponent.” Trump also asserted that he has “never said that dead Soldiers are ‘losers and suckers,’” and emphasized his support for the military during his presidency.
The attack ad launched by the Biden campaign featured the reported quotes of Trump calling fallen soldiers “suckers” and “losers,” as well as audio of him mocking the late Sen. John McCain. The ad was released during the ceremonies commemorating the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, while Biden was visiting Normandy. Trump’s remarks at the rally in Las Vegas and his subsequent social media posts demonstrate his ongoing frustration with the allegations and his insistence that they are fabricated.
Trump’s continued denials of making the “suckers” and “losers” comments and his criticism of those who believe the accusations highlight the divisive nature of the allegations. The back-and-forth between Trump and Biden regarding the attack ad and the reported remarks speaks to the broader political climate and the use of controversial statements in campaign messaging. Trump’s demand for Biden to take down the ad reflects his belief that the allegations are unfounded and politically motivated, while Biden’s campaign likely sees the ad as a way to highlight Trump’s controversial statements and behavior.
