Donald Trump posted a message in which he hailed “heroic Veterans”, after previously branded wounded or killed US war heroes as “losers” and “suckers”.
The former president took to his platform Truth Social on Friday to praise those who had fought for their country, saying that their service would “never be forgotten”.
Last month, Mr Trump’s longest-serving Chief of Staff John Kelly confirmed remarks made and previously denied by the former president, which featured in a 2020 article in The Atlantic.
Veterans Day – a federal US holiday – is celebrated annually in the US on November 11, though since that day falls on a Saturday this year, some will observe the holiday on Friday, November 10.
In his Truth Social post Mr Trump wrote: “To our heroic Veterans, I am grateful for your service to our Country and honored to wish you a Happy Veterans Day!
“There is no greater act of selfless service than defending America’s God-given freedoms and liberty. The traditions of excellence and integrity demonstrated by our men and women in uniform never fade after leaving the Military—once a Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine, Coast Guardsman, or Guardian—always.”
He continued: “Our Veterans will never stop fighting for the America we cherish. The full measure of your sacrifice and your family’s dedication in support of your service may not be fully understood and appreciated, but it will never be forgotten.
“On this Veterans Day and always, May God Bless you and your family, our Nation’s Veterans, and our Military men and women, and May He Bless and uphold the United States of America. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
The post comes in stark contrast to comments confirmed by Mr Kelly, who served the Trump administration from 2017 until 2019.
White House Chief of Staff John Kelly speaks to reporters as Donald Trump listens before boarding Air Force One— (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
The 2020 Atlantic article, written by Jeffrey Goldberg, claimed that Mr Trump refused to visit the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris in 2018 as it would ruin his hair, and did not understand the value of honouring the US war dead.
According to sources from the article, he said: “Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers.” At the time Mr Trump dismissed the story as “fake” and that he considered the fallen “absolute heroes”.
In a statement to CNN, Mr Kelly confirmed several details of the story on the record and said the former president was unable to understand why the American public held respect for former prisoners of war and those shot down in combat.
What can I add that has not already been said?” he said.
“A person that thinks those who defend their country in uniform, or are shot down or seriously wounded in combat, or spend years being tortured as POWs are all ‘suckers’ because ‘there is nothing in it for them.’
“There is nothing more that can be said. God help us.”
