Trump ‘Swears’ He Never Called John McCain A ‘Loser’ (He Did, Both On Twitter And On Video)

President Donald Trump lashed out at a report published on Thursday evening that claimed he disparaged US soldiers who died in wars, suggested wounded veterans not participate in military parades because of their amputations, and angrily resented that flags were lowered to half-staff after the death of Sen. John McCain.

Speaking on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews after returning from a rally in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Trump vigorously denied reports that he called Americans killed in war “suckers” and “losers,” claiming the sources “made it up” and without identifying who he though they were, suggested “probably it’s a couple of people that have been failures in my administration that I got rid of and I couldn’t get rid of them fast enough.”

The President responds pic.twitter.com/xUzhcAL6OI

— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) September 4, 2020

Trump also took to Twitter, telling his supporters he “was never a big fan of John McCain” but that it “was my honor” to offer the Vietnam War veteran, longtime U.S. Senator, and 2008 Republican presidential candidate a hero’s sendoff.

But then the president curiously said that he would swear — not to God — but “on whatever, or whoever, I was asked to swear on” that he never called McCain a “loser.”

..Country, had to be approved by me, as President, & I did so without hesitation or complaint. Quite the contrary, I felt it was well deserved. I even sent Air Force One to bring his body, in casket, from Arizona to Washington. It was my honor to do so. Also, I never called..

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 4, 2020

….John a loser and swear on whatever, or whoever, I was asked to swear on, that I never called our great fallen soldiers anything other than HEROES. This is more made up Fake News given by disgusting & jealous failures in a disgraceful attempt to influence the 2020 Election!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 4, 2020

That claim is unequivocally false and easily debunked by looking at Trump’s own Twitter timeline.

Incredible that after Trump gets caught, then he keeps lying about everything, and swears ”on whatever.” He did call John McCain a loser. It’s on tape, and he proudly tweeted about it in 2015. https://t.co/kARtIp80xe pic.twitter.com/1NW7WBkd2n

— Stratos Safioleas (@stratosathens) September 4, 2020

Trump also called McCain a “loser” on video, as part of his remarks disparaging McCain in 2015 for being captured during the Vietnam War.

“He’s a war hero because he was captured,” Trump said. “I like people that weren’t captured.”