Did Donald Trump call war veterans suckers and losers and when did he say it?
Executive summary
Multiple reporting and public statements say Donald Trump used words like “suckers” and “losers” to describe American service members who died or were captured, and those accounts tie the remarks to a 2018 trip to Europe and to private conversations with senior staff; former Chief of Staff John Kelly and The Atlantic’s reporting are central to the record [1] [2]. Trump has denied the story; supporters and some allies have disputed details or context, while veterans’ advocates and Democrats have repeatedly cited the allegations in critiques of his record [3] [4].
1. What was reported: the core allegation
The Atlantic reported that during a 2018 trip to France and Britain President Trump said the U.S. war dead at the Aisne‑Marne American Cemetery were “suckers” and called Marines who died at Belleau Wood “losers,” and that he questioned why he should visit a cemetery “filled with losers”; multiple outlets and veteran advocates have repeated and cited those lines [1] [2].
2. When and where the comments are said to have occurred
Sources tie the comments to Trump's 2018 overseas trip — notably visits near Paris and a cemetery at Aisne‑Marne/Belleau Wood — and to private conversations with senior White House staff and military aides during that tour and other meetings, rather than to a public, on‑the‑record speech [1] [2].
3. Who corroborated the reporting
Former White House chief of staff John Kelly publicly confirmed parts of the account, saying Trump disparaged service members as “suckers” because “there is nothing in it for them,” and other aides (named in reporting) provided corroborating on‑the‑record or anonymous accounts to outlets such as The Atlantic and the Washington Post, which then were cited by campaign opponents and veterans’ groups [2] [1].
4. Trump’s response and disputes
Trump has denied the Atlantic story, calling it “totally false” in subsequent statements, and his defenders have questioned specifics or sought to frame the reporting as politically motivated; Democratic groups and veteran advocates, by contrast, used the allegations to criticize his policies and temperament toward veterans [3] [4].
5. How this became a political flashpoint
The allegation resurfaced repeatedly in political messaging: Democratic organizations cited the “suckers/losers” language to argue Trump disrespects veterans and to link that rhetoric to policy proposals affecting veterans’ benefits; Republican allies and some candidates defended or downplayed the comments, creating a divide that is both evidentiary (who corroborates which passage) and partisan (how each side uses the allegation) [4] [1].
6. Documentary limits in the public record
Available sources show the claims rest largely on reporting from The Atlantic and corroboration from some former officials; the comments were reported as private remarks rather than on‑the‑record public statements, so there is no public audio or video of Trump saying the exact words at the time cited — reporting and later confirmations form the evidentiary base rather than a contemporaneous on‑camera quote [1] [2].
7. Alternative perspectives and motivations
Supporters argue the story is false or mischaracterized and emphasize denials; opponents use the anecdote to highlight alleged disdain for public service and to argue policy motives; news organizations publishing the story cited multiple sources and on‑the‑record confirmations by former staff, while partisan actors amplified or attacked the report to serve political aims [2] [4].
8. What the record reliably shows and what it does not
Reliable: major outlets reported the comments as part of investigative reporting, and at least one senior former official (John Kelly) publicly said Trump expressed that sentiment [2]. Not found in current reporting: an on‑the‑record contemporaneous recording or public speech in which Trump explicitly uses the words “suckers” and “losers” to describe veterans; the record relies on journalists’ accounts and staff corroboration rather than a public tape [1] [2].
9. Why this matters beyond the anecdote
If true, the remarks are invoked as evidence about Trump’s attitude toward military service and to question policy choices affecting veterans; critics tie the language to funding and administrative changes at the VA and to broader character judgments, while defenders view the media narrative as politically driven — both readings are evident in the sources [4] [1].
Limitations: reporting is based on investigative pieces and former‑staff statements cited above; available sources do not provide video or audio of the exact moment, and disputes over motive and context remain active in political debate [1] [2].