Trump honors ‘supreme sacrifice’ of fallen soldiers. He hasn’t always celebrated the troops

Trump once reportedly called America’s war dead ‘losers’

(AFP via Getty Images)

Former President Donald Trump issued a statement commemorating America’s fallen veterans on Monday, marking the US’ observance of Memorial Day.

A press release from the 45th president’s office stated that Americans “owe all that we are, and everything that we hope to be” to those who gave the “supreme sacrifice” for their country.

“America’s warriors are the single greatest force for justice, peace, liberty and security among all the nations to ever exist on earth,” Trump proclaimed, adding: “We honor them today, forever, and always.”

His statement contrasted sharply with some of the more attention-grabbing remarks about America’s military and service members Trump made over the course of his presidency and 2016 campaign.

In 2018, he reportedly quipped that a cemetery housing fallen U.S. veterans of World War I was “filled with losers” during a trip to France, though the Trump White House denied that allegation when it was reported by The Atlantic in 2020.

Then-candidate Trump also famously mocked U.S. prisoners of war during an attack on the now-late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in 2015, remarking “I like people who weren’t captured” during an interview at the 2015 Family Leadership Summit.

Supporters of the former president including his former strategist Sebastian Gorka spent the weekend attacking Vice President Kamala Harris over a tweet she sent that read “Enjoy the long weekend”, which they took as disrespectful to the families of fallen soldiers.