Hit piece: Trump cemetery story fails smell test

Jeffrey Goldberg’s article in The Atlantic, “Trump: Americans Who Died in War are Losers and Suckers,” was the anti-Trump September surprise.

Goldberg’s article was full of falsehoods. President Trump didn’t blame rain for the canceled helicopter flight to the WWI cemetery. Marine One’s crew canceled due to poor visibility.

John Kelly called off driving there due to security issues, and the charge that Trump didn’t want to go because his hair might get wet was absurd.

Twelve former and current White House officials went on record saying they never heard the president disparage soldiers, including press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Both were on the 2018 Paris trip.

Goldberg quoted four anonymous sources. Incidentally, he wrote another hit piece in The Atlantic in July 2016, “It’s Official: Hillary is Running Against Vladimir Putin.” No bias there.

John Bolton (no Trump fan) was also on the trip and makes no reference to Goldberg’s story in his book.

As a retired military officer, I’m embarrassed for senior officers like Major Gen. Paul Eaton and veterans quick to believe this bogus story.

Trump is pro-military and rebuilt it after President Obama decimated it.

This story was originally published September 15, 2020 at 8:22 AM with the headline "Hit piece: Trump cemetery story fails smell test."