A visibly angry Joe Biden responds to reports of Donald Trump disrespecting Americans who go in harms way while in the military and get wounded or give their lives….
Biden, his voice raised, responded personally to the claims made in an explosive Atlantic article about Trump’s view of the military, saying that when his son Beau Biden volunteered to serve, “he wasn’t a sucker.”
Trump is accused, among other comments, of referring to soldiers killed or injured in war as “losers” and “suckers.” Biden said if the “disgusting” allegations are true, Trump owes an apology to every military family.
“President Trump has demonstrated he has no sense of service, no loyalty to any cause other than himself,” Biden said. “I’m always cautioned not to lose my temper. This may be as close as I’ve come in this campaign.”
The president was asked earlier if he owed service members and veterans an apology. Trump said no, because the claims in the article weren’t true.
Biden took questions from reporters, the first of which was what the former vice president believed Trump’s alleged remarks said about “his soul and the life he leads.”
“How would you feel if you had a kid in Afghanistan right now? How would you feel if you lost a son, daughter, husband, wife? How would you feel for real?” Biden said, his voice emotional. “I probably — I’ve just never been as disappointed in my whole career with a leader that I’ve worked with, president or otherwise.
“If the article is true, and it appears to be based on other things he’s said, it is absolutely damnable. It is a disgrace.”…
…
The Biden campaign released an ad with images of U.S. troops, as comments Trump allegedly made about the military appear over them. There are no words spoken, just a somber instrumental.
“Mr. President, if you don’t respect our troops, you can’t lead them,” Biden tweeted with the ad.
Trump announced he’ll be holding a 5 p.m. news conference at which he is likely to be asked again about the accusations.
Earlier Friday, Trump tweeted about the report, accusing the Atlantic of making it up “in order to gain some relevance.”
“Story already refuted, but this is what we are up against,” Trump tweeted. “Just like the Fake Dossier. You fight and and fight, and then people realize it was a total fraud!”
Though the president claims the Atlantic story has been disproved, senior-level officials confirmed several of the accounts to The Washington Post and other news outlets.
image….Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden speaks in Wilmington, Del., on Friday. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)