During Trumps 2018 trip to France, the president canceled a planned visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery a World War I cemetery in Belleau, France, near the site of the Battle of Belleau Wood . Trump blamed bad weather for the cancellation at the time.

According to multiple anonymous sources who had firsthand knowledge of the conversations cited by The Atlantics Jeffrey Goldberg , however, Trump had actually rejected the idea of the visit because he feared his hair would become disheveled in the rain, and because he did not believe it important to honor American war dead.

Why should I go to that cemetery? Its filled with losers, Trump reportedly said on the trip, according to Goldberg.

The Washington Post and The Associated Press have confirmed the story, with one former senior administration official telling the Post that Trump frequently made disparaging comments about veterans and soldiers missing in action, referring to them at times as losers.

Trump and the White House have issued strenuous denials about The Atlantic report, including by some presidential aides who were on the trip. Trump insisted on Twitter that hed never called our great fallen soldiers anything other than HEROES.

Some Republicans have attempted to dismiss The Atlantics reporting on the basis of the outlets reliance on anonymous sources. Goldberg said Friday on CNN that his sources didnt want to be named in his story because they dont want to be inundated with angry tweets and all the rest.

Duckworth dismissed that line of attack on Friday.

I dont think its important that they go forward and identify themselves, she said of the military aides quoted by The Atlantic, adding that Trumps reported comments in the story are consistent with his attacks on veterans like the late Arizona Sen. John McCain.