Joe Biden unleashes at Donald Trump over alleged ‘suckers, losers’ comment about US soldiers

At a campaign event in Nevada this week, Mr Biden said he needed to control his “Irish temper” in response to Trump’s alleged remarks about American soldiers being “suckers” and “losers”.

During a 2018 visit to France for the centennial anniversary of the end of World War I, Mr Trump reportedly called soldiers who died at Belleau Wood “suckers” and those resting at Aisne-Marne American Cemetery “losers”.

“I have to hold my Irish temper. I’m glad I wasn’t with him. I’m not sure what I would’ve done. He said they’re all suckers and losers,” Mr Biden said, before raising his voice and mentioning his late son Beau, who died in 2015.

Beau Biden served as a a major in the Delaware Army National Guard before being diagnosed with brain cancer.

“My son was not a sucker nor were any of yours. Who does this guy think he is talking about Americans?,” Mr Biden said in Nevada.

“This is a guy, when he was in France, they asked him to go to American Cemetery. You know what he said? He said those folks were suckers and losers. Suckers and losers for God’s sake. I’m glad I wasn’t there.

“He called your sons and daughters who gave their lives in this country suckers and losers. Who the hell does he think he is?”

Former Trump White House chief of staff John Kelly also took shots at Trump over the reported remark allegedly made while he was in office.

“A person that thinks those who defend their country in uniform, or are shot down or seriously wounded in combat, or spend years being tortured as POWs are all ‘suckers’ because ‘there is nothing in it for them’,” Kelly said of Trump in October.

“A person that did not want to be seen in the presence of military amputees because ‘it doesn’t look good for me.’ A person who demonstrated open contempt for a Gold Star family — for all Gold Star families — on TV during the 2016 campaign, and rants that our most precious heroes who gave their lives in America’s defence are ‘losers’ and wouldn’t visit their graves in France.”

In the meantime, Mr Biden has cruised to victory in the South Carolina Democratic, vowing afterwards that he would make Mr Trump a loser for a second time in November’s election.

Democrats will now pore over the results to see how well the 81-year-old incumbent, battling low approval ratings, mobilised the Black voters who helped propel him to the White House four years ago against Trump.

Kicking off his march to his party’s nomination, Biden secured a massive 96.4 per cent of the votes in the first Democratic primary of the 2024 race, according to results with half the ballots tallied.

He swept past his only rivals on the ballot, self-help author Marianne Williamson, who won 2 per cent, and Minnesota congressman Dean Phillips, who won 1.6 per cent, US news organisations said.

As the results came in Biden was at a campaign event in California, as he turns his attention to the next steps in his fight for re-election.

“Now in 2024, the people of South Carolina have spoken again and I have no doubt that you have set us on the path to winning the presidency again — and making Donald Trump a loser — again,” Biden said in a statement.

He urged people to get out and vote in November, saying the stakes for the United States could not be higher if Trump manages a sensational comeback to the Oval Office.

“The stakes in this election could not be higher. There are extreme and dangerous voices at work in the country – led by Donald Trump.”

Despite South Carolina being likely to remain in Republican hands in November, as it has done since 1980, Biden also regards the southern state as important as a proving ground for his support among Black voters.

A number of recent polls have however shown their support slipping, especially among young Black men, amid frustration that he has not addressed their priorities despite them backing him four years ago.

Several voters said Biden’s record as president was mostly satisfactory, while admitting there was a lack of enthusiasm for his second-term bid — but that they did not want to see Trump win.