The Hoax
Trump Called American Soldiers “Suckers And Losers”
In 2020, media outlets, along with Biden and Democratic leaders, claimed that President Trump referred to American soldiers who died in combat as “suckers” and “losers.” This claim, originating from an article in The Atlantic, quickly spread and caused significant outrage.
What Really Happened
Advisors And Officials Confirm Trump Never Called American Soldiers “Suckers And Losers”
Numerous people who were present during the alleged incident, including former National Security Advisor John Bolton, former White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, and other officials, have publicly denied that Trump made the derogatory comments. Additionally, contemporaneous records and official documents from the trip do not support the allegations. Both John Bolton and Sarah Sanders, who were on the trip, have stated that they never heard Trump make such comments, and Bolton, a frequent critic of Trump, explicitly said in his book that he did not hear Trump say anything of the sort.
The Atlantic Article
The initial claim was published in an article by Jeffrey Goldberg. It’s crucial to highlight that the article relies exclusively on anonymous sources. By citing The Atlantic’s piece, which is based on these unidentified sources, other news outlets were able to present unverified information as factual.
Hoaxology | How The Hoax Was Made
Here’s how this hoax was made.
Anonymous Sources
The hoax originated from an article published by The Atlantic, which alleged that Trump made derogatory remarks about fallen soldiers during a 2018 trip to France. This article relied on anonymous sources, making it difficult to verify the claims. Despite the lack of verifiable evidence, the story was quickly picked up and amplified by major media outlets, leading to widespread circulation. The emotionally charged nature of the accusation made it a powerful weapon for Trump’s political opponents.
Circular Reporting
Circular reporting was used in creating and amplifying this false narrative. The Atlantic initially published the story based entirely on anonymous sources, without providing verifiable evidence or identifying other individuals who allegedly heard Trump make these comments. Despite this lack of confirmation, other media outlets quickly picked up the story and treated it as factual.
Here’s how circular reporting worked in this case:
- The Atlantic’s Initial Article: The Atlantic published the original story, citing anonymous sources that claimed Trump made derogatory comments about fallen soldiers. Since the article did not provide specific details or named witnesses, it was an unverified report from the start.
- Other Media Outlets Amplify the Story: After The Atlantic’s article gained attention, numerous media outlets began citing it as their primary source. Instead of independently verifying the claims or seeking alternative witnesses, they echoed The Atlantic’s story, giving it widespread coverage.
- Repetition Creates Credibility: As more and more outlets referenced the same unverified article, the claim appeared increasingly credible to the public. Each new article or broadcast cited the original story as evidence, creating the false impression that the accusation was well-documented and substantiated by multiple sources.
- Ignored Contradictions: Even though several credible witnesses, such as John Bolton and Sarah Sanders, publicly denied that Trump made such remarks, these counterpoints were often downplayed or ignored by the media. The focus remained on repeating The Atlantic’s original, anonymous claims, which had now become widely accepted due to the cycle of repetition.
Through circular reporting, an unverified, anonymously sourced story was treated as validated fact. The repetition across various media outlets amplified the hoax, making it appear more legitimate than it actually was.
Featured image via public domain.
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