Trump’s Comments
On Sunday at a rally in Las Vegas, Trump railed against the ad, claiming the episode is “made up.”
Source: Brandon Bell/Getty Images
“[Biden] said I stood over graves of soldiers and I said: ‘These people are suckers and losers, the dead soldiers from World War I,’’ Trump said. “These are sick people.”
Biden’s Ad
Joe Biden posted the ad on the social media platform X, captioning it with the phrase “Donald Trump doesn’t know a d*mn thing about service to his country.”
Source: Adam Shultz/Wikimedia
The ad features sad piano music and quotes from Donald Trump, with one reading “Why should I go to [Aisne-Marne American] cemetery? It’s filled with losers.” Biden’s X post was seen over 3.5 million times.
Response to Biden’s Ad
The X post by Biden received nearly 22,000 comments, with many Trump supporters accusing Biden of outright lying.
The White House/Wikimedia Commons
“This is a debunked lie. Trump literally never said that. Joe Biden called soldiers “stupid b*stards” “slow” and “dull” to their faces on video. Biden is the one who doesn’t know a d*mn thing about service to this country. He has f*cked over our soldiers by giving Afghanistan to the Taliban and by having the lowest recruitment numbers in modern history,” said X user Philip Anderson in a post that got nearly 3,000 likes.
Skepticism of Fake Allegations
Other commenters were confused by people mad that Biden was using Trump’s own words against him, feeling like Trump is at least somewhat guilty of disparaging the United States military from time to time.
Source: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons
“So let me get this right. The things that Trump said which I actually heard him actually say on national television is incorrect and I’m supposed to believe that he didn’t mean to say that?” one X user wrote.
People Who Are Captured
One Donald Trump quote in the ad referenced a statement that the former President made to the now-deceased Republican Senator John McCain.
Source: Gage Skimore/Wikimedia
In 2015 Trump attacked McCain’s military service saying “He’s not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.”
Fabricating Stories
Trump at the Las Vegas rally accused his political opponents of a constant tactic of fabricating stories about him as their way of trying to get elected.
Source: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons
“Unless you’re a psycho or a crazy person or a very stupid person, who would say that, anyway?” Trump said.
Persistent Allegation
During his speech, Trump expressed frustration at the persistent allegation against him that he insulted America’s troops, talking about how he was advised to ignore the allegation but he feels unable to.
Source: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons
“It just never goes away, I gotta mention it,” Trump told his supporters. “I don’t like mentioning it. But for me to say ‘suckers and losers’ about people that died in World War I in front of military people? It’s not a possibility you could say a thing like that.”
Rebuking on Social Media
Not content with correcting the record just to his supporters in person, Trump also took to the social media platform Truth Social to correct the record online as well.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Obviously, I never said that dead Soldiers are “losers and suckers.” Who would say such a thing? It was MADE UP DISINFORMATION by Radical Left Democrats, and Trump Haters, working with a failing Magazine, just like Russia, Russia, Russia, Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine, FISA Fraud, 51 Intel Agents, and so much more,” Trump wrote.
Fascist Scum
In the Truth Social post, Trump accuses his critics of being “fascist scum” whose achievements cannot compare to how he has personally helped the US military.
Source: Shoes For Crews/Facebook
“Anytime you see that despicable FAKE statement used, remember that it comes from the FASCIST SCUM that is destroying our Country. Nobody has done more for the Military than Donald J. Trump – I completely Rebuilt it, and added SPACE FORCE to boot! VOTE FOR TRUMP – MAGA2024!,” said the post.
Take Down the Ad
In another Truth Social post, Trump demands that Biden take down his attack ad, which he characterizes as fake.
Source: Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
“The Military hates Crooked Joe, and all of the failure he represents. Take down the Fake Ad, Joe, and stop the unprecedented Weaponization of “Justice” against your Political Opponent. You are destroying our Country!” Trump said in a Truth Social post.
Firing Back
On Monday, Trump hit back against Biden’s ad with an attack ad of his own. In a 4-minute clip posted to his Truth Social, Biden is portrayed as calling people who sign up for the military to serve as “suckers.”
Source: Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
“Biden Hates the Military!” Trump’s caption of the post read.