Presidential Debate at CNN headquarters, Atlanta GA: on Homeland Security

Donald Trump: Did not attend veteran cemetery in France while president

TRUMP: First of all, that was a made-up quote, "suckers and losers." They made it up. It was in a third-rate magazine that's failing, like many of these magazines [referring to The Atlantic magazine]. He made that up. He put it in commercials. We've notified 'em. We had 19 people that said I didn't say it. Who would say--at a cemetery, talking about our veterans--to think that I would, in front of generals and others, say "suckers and losers"--we have 19 people that said it was never said by me. It was made up by him.

BIDEN: You had a 4-star general stand at your side, who was on your staff, who said you said it, period [referring to John Kelly].

TRUMP: Biden was so bad with Afghanistan--he should have fired those generals like I fired the one that you mentioned [General John Kelly].

Donald Trump: FactCheck: Media did report Trump saying military are losers

THE HILL (June 10, 2024): Trump again denied referring to dead U.S. soldiers as "suckers" and "losers". The Atlantic reported in 2020 that Trump asked staffers, "Why should I go to that cemetery? It's filled with losers." The magazine reported Trump later referred to war dead as "suckers" for getting killed. While Trump has denied making the remarks, his former chief of staff, John Kelly, later corroborated the magazine's account.

Joe Biden: Attended 80th anniversary of D-Day in France

TRUMP: That was a made-up quote, "suckers and losers." They made it up. It was in a third-rate magazine that's failing [referring to The Atlantic magazine]. He made that up. He put it in commercials.

BIDEN: You had a four-star general stand at your side, who was on your staff, who said you said it, period [referring to Trump chief of staff John Kelly]. He acknowledged after it that he fired that general. That general got fired because he's the one that acknowledged that that's what he said. He was the one standing with Trump when he said it, number one.[See FactCheck: Yes, The Atlantic reported this].