PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – President Joe Biden emotionally recounted his family’s military service and criticized former President Donald Trump for disparaging remarks about service members. Speaking to a crowd of union workers, Biden recalled Trump’s refusal to visit American gravesites, referring to fallen soldiers as “suckers” and “losers.” Biden’s son Beau and uncle Ambrose Finnegan both served in the military.
The comments stemmed from Trump’s 2018 trip to Paris for the centennial of the end of World War I, where he declined to visit a cemetery and reportedly made disrespectful remarks about fallen soldiers. Former White House chief of staff John Kelly confirmed Trump’s private comments, which were first reported by The Atlantic.
In response to Biden’s remarks, the Trump campaign denied the allegations, calling it a “tired lie” to deflect from Biden’s leadership as commander in chief. Biden, during a campaign rally in his hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania, expressed his outrage at Trump’s remarks, calling them offensive and questioning Trump’s respect for fallen soldiers.
Biden, on a three-city tour of Pennsylvania, expressed his admiration for service members and their sacrifices, contrasting it with Trump’s alleged comments. The visit to a war memorial in Scranton brought back memories of Trump’s disparaging remarks for Biden.
Throughout his campaign, Biden has repeatedly criticized Trump’s 2018 comments but Wednesday marked the first time he directly connected them to his family members who served in the military. Biden emphasized the heroism of soldiers and the importance of honoring their service.