'We only have one truly sacred obligation': Biden hits back at Trump for reportedly calling dead US troops 'losers'

Joe Biden, Donald Trump — Joe Biden and Donald Trump
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Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden issued a statement Thursday in response to President Trump's reported comment that soldiers who died in World War I were "losers."
Earlier in the day, The Atlantic published a story claiming that Trump made the remark during a visit to France.
"If the revelations in today's Atlantic article are true, then they are yet another marker of how deeply President Trump and I disagree about the role of the President of the United States," Biden said.
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Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden joined the chorus of critics outraged at President Donald Trump's remarks that US soldiers who died in World War I were "suckers " and "losers," as reported by The Atlantic on Thursday.

"If the revelations in today's Atlantic article are true, then they are yet another market of how deeply President Trump and I disagree about the role of the President of the United States," Biden said in a statement.

According to The Atlantic, Trump told senior staff members the morning he was set to visit the Aisne-Marne cemetery in France: "Why should I go to that cemetery? It's filled with losers." In another conversation, he called US marines killed in the Battle of Belleau Wood "suckers" because they died, according to the report. The White House has denied the report, calling it "fake news."

Biden, whose son Beau served in Iraq, said in his statement that he considers the protection of "generations of American troops have shed blood around the world in defense of our freedoms and to protect US vital interests" the "one truly sacred obligation" of a president.

"Duty, honor, country — those are the values that drive our service members. Those are the values that have formed the core of America's defense for centuries," Biden said. "And if I have the honor of serving as the next commander in chief, I will ensure that our American heroes know that I will have their back and honor their sacrifice — always."

Biden's comments were more measured than some others'. Paul Rieckhoff, the founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said he was disappointed but not surprised.

"This is who he is," he said of Trump. "#PresidentMayhem has no respect for anyone."

Read Biden's full comments below:

If the revelations in today's Atlantic article are true, then they are yet another marker of how deeply President Trump and I disagree about the role of the President of the United States. I have long said that, as a nation, we have many obligations, but we only have one truly sacred obligation — to prepare and equip those we send into harm's way, and to care for them and their families, both while they are deployed and after they return home. That's the foundation of what Jill and I believe. It's why we've always prioritized the health and well-being of our service members, veterans, and military families. We've visited troops coming home wounded in Walter Reed. We've hosted wounded veterans in our home to share a Thanksgiving meal. And, as the proud parents of a son who served in Iraq, we've made supporting military spouses, caregivers, and children a focus of our service.

Generations of American troops have shed blood around the world in defense of our freedoms and to protect U.S. vital interests. From the frontlines of our own Revolution to Belleau Wood to the Normandy beaches to the mountains of Afghanistan, the sacrifice and bravery of our troops and their willingness to serve our nation should be honored. Duty, honor, country — those are the values that drive our service members. Those are the values that have formed the core of America's defense for centuries. And if I have the honor of serving as the next commander in chief, I will ensure that our American heroes know that I will have their back and honor their sacrifice — always.