On Sunday, President Biden paid respect to slain US Marines at an American cemetery outside of Paris, a location that is key to his argument against former President Donald Trump.
The Aisne-Marne American Cemetery contains the graves of almost 2,200 Americans who fought and died during World War I. “Every Marine I know knows about the Battle of Bellau Woods,” Biden told reporters following a brief wreath-laying ceremony.
Related posts
This Article Includes
- 1 Related posts
- 2 Officials: Building Is Unsafe To Occupy After The Floor Collapsed During The Maryland Fire
- 3 Tattooed Shooter Involved In Tag-team Assault For Shooting Victim In The Face In Jackson: Prosecutor
- 4 What The Atlantic said happened with Trump
- 5 How Biden uses this story in his campaign
- 6 What Biden said — and didn’t say — about the politics of this stop
“More Marines were killed here than in any battle until the middle of World War II.” “It was the idea that I would come to Normandy and not make the short trip here to pay tribute,” Biden explained.
Trump had planned to visit the cemetery in November 2018, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the conclusion of World War I. But he canceled those plans. The White House blamed the weather, claiming it was too rainy for helicopters to fly, and that a convoy would have disrupted traffic and the timetable.
A different and much more damaging story came two years later in The Atlantic, which Biden frequently uses on the campaign tour to demonstrate that his predecessor is unable to be commander in chief.
What The Atlantic said happened with Trump
According to a report by The Atlantic, President Trump decided to cancel his trip to a cemetery during his visit to France back in 2018 because he was concerned about his hair getting wet in the rain. Senior staff members reportedly heard him say, “Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers.”
According to the magazine, Trump made a comment about the Marines who lost their lives in the Battle of Belleau Wood, calling them “suckers” for being killed.
When the article was initially published, the Trump campaign vehemently denied the claims made within it. However, in a statement to CNN last year, John Kelly, who was the chief of staff at the time, confirmed much of the article’s contents. Despite this confirmation, the Trump campaign continued to dismiss the article as a collection of “debunked stories.”
According to NPR, Kelly revealed that President Trump turned down the opportunity to visit the cemetery. Instead, Kelly accompanied General Joe Dunford, who was serving as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the time. Despite the overcast weather, no umbrellas were seen in the photo of Kelly’s visit, which is available on the cemetery’s website.
How Biden uses this story in his campaign
During a recent speech, Biden shared a quote from someone who referred to fallen soldiers as “suckers” and “losers”. He made it clear that these were not his own words by stating “it was his quote”.
Amidst the sound of clapping, Biden raised his voice and exclaimed, “Who does he think he is? These were heroes.”
It is a topic that Biden consistently mentions, as he recently did during a fundraising event in New York.
Biden expressed his opinion that the individual in question is not fit to hold the position of president, regardless of whether or not he himself was a candidate.
On June 9, President Biden honored the memory of the fallen U.S. soldiers of World War I by participating in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in Belleau, France. The ceremony was a solemn tribute to the brave soldiers who gave their lives in service to their country. The event was captured in a poignant image by Saul Loeb, which depicts the president paying his respects to the fallen soldiers.
What Biden said — and didn’t say — about the politics of this stop
During his visit to Aisne-Marne, Biden chose not to mention Trump by name and deliberately avoided responding to a question regarding the message he intended to convey to voters by visiting the cemetery.
During his official visit to France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, Biden emphasized the importance of protecting democracy and freedom. These two themes have been at the forefront of his campaign, and he reiterated their significance in his speech. D-Day marked a pivotal moment in World War II when American and allied troops fought their way into France, ultimately leading to the end of the war. Biden’s visit served as a reminder of the sacrifices made to defend democracy and freedom, values that he is committed to upholding as a presidential candidate.
On Sunday, he expressed to the press his hope that Americans would come to understand that the key to preventing such conflicts in the future is to stand strong alongside our allies.
He urged, “Don’t give up. Keep going.”
