Trump attacks Fox News reporter after she backs up key details of Atlantic story

President Trump went after Fox News reporter Jennifer Griffin after she backed up some details of a bombshell story from The Atlantic that said he had referred to slain American soldiers buried at a French cemetery as “losers” and “suckers.”

Trump shared an article late Friday from far-right outlet Breitbart News declaring that Griffin “Did Not Confirm ‘Most Salacious’ Part of Atlantic Story” after the reporter shared on the air that sources had confirmed to her certain key details of the magazine’s story.

“All refuted by many witnesses. Jennifer Griffin should be fired for this kind of reporting. Never even called us for comment. @FoxNews is gone!” Trump declared in a tweet.

Jennifer Griffin of Fox News Did Not Confirm ‘Most Salacious‘ Part of Atlantic Story https://t.co/rUpbSWhHac via @BreitbartNews All refuted by many witnesses. Jennifer Griffin should be fired for this kind of reporting. Never even called us for comment. @FoxNews is gone!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 5, 2020

The rebuke came hours after Griffin, a national security correspondent for Fox News, reported that sources had confirmed key details of The Atlantic’s report. Griffin said sources told her that Trump had said the Vietnam War was “stupid” and anyone who fought in it was a “sucker.” 

Trump famously received a number of draft deferrals for the Vietnam War from a doctor who said he suffered from bone spurs.

Griffin, citing a former Trump administration official, reported that Trump “was not in a good mood” during his trip to France in 2018 and “questioned why he had to go to two cemeteries.” 

She also reported that Trump was adamant flags not be lowered to half-staff when the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a fierce critic of Trump, died in 2018.

Two former sr Trump admin officials confirm .@JeffreyGoldberg reporting that President Trump disparaged veterans and did not want to drive to honor American war dead at Aisne-Marne Cemetery outside Paris.

— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) September 4, 2020

The Atlantic’s bombshell report, which was published Thursday, said Trump bailed on his appearance at Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in France in 2018 because he was worried that rain would tousle his hair.

“Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers,” Trump allegedly told aides before canceling his trip to Belleau, France.

Trump and a number of White House aides have fiercely denied the report, though multiple news outlets have confirmed certain details.

“If they really exist, if people really exist that would have said that, they’re lowlifes and they’re liars. And I would be willing to swear on anything that I never said that about our fallen heroes. There is nobody that respects them more,” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews after a campaign stop in Pennsylvania on Thursday evening.

Trump has criticized Fox News at times over coverage he perceives as unfavorable, with the network drawing the president’s ire after releasing polls showing Trump trailing Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden both nationally and in swing states.

“Do you notice that any time Fake News Suppression Polls are put out, like @FoxNews, the Stock Market goes DOWN. We are going to WIN!” Trump tweeted earlier this week.

Do you notice that any time Fake News Suppression Polls are put out, like @FoxNews, the Stock Market goes DOWN. We are going to WIN!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2020