Editor’s Note: The headline has been updated to make it clear that Jeffrey Goldberg’s admission related specifically to first-hand accounts which contradict The Atlantic’s claim that President Trump lied about weather being the cause of his 2018 cancelled visit to Aisne-Marne American Cemetery. More of The Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg’s quote from the CNN interview has also been added for context.
Jeffrey Goldberg, Editor-in-Chief for The Atlantic, confessed that the central claim in his publication’s reprehensible hit piece on the President could very well be false.
The Atlantic column starts off with a claim that the President did not want to visit the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris in 2018, because “his hair would become disheveled in the rain” and that “he did not believe it important to honor American war dead.”
Remember – this is the lede to the piece and sets up every other argument throughout, like the claim that Trump despises the military and veterans, and referred to them as “suckers” and “losers.”
Goldberg’s acceptance of Bolton’s account means that the claim by his four, off-the-record, anonymous sources that the visit was called off for any reason other than weather may not be correct.
When presented with an excerpt from former national security adviser John Bolton’s book which details how the weather was the cause for cancellation of the visit to the cemetery, not a decision by POTUS over his hair, Goldberg conceded, “I’m sure all of those things are true.”
I just watched Goldberg’s interview on CNN and was struck by his response to evidence that the flight to the cemetery was canceled for weather. Both Bolton and Pentagon sources have confirmed that reason, and Goldberg says that that all may be true… https://t.co/CaKg1rVyTJ
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) September 6, 2020
RELATED: John Bolton: Claims That Trump Disparaged Fallen Soldiers Are ‘Simply False’
Goldberg Still Stands By His Reporting
Not only did Bolton inadvertently provide evidence that Goldberg’s ‘Swift Boat’ attempt of the President was factually incorrect in at least this one aspect, but he followed up in a subsequent interview with Fox News to reiterate the story was false.
“According to what that article said, the president made disparaging remarks about soldiers and people buried in the cemetery in connection with the decision for him not to go to the ceremony that was planned that afternoon,” Bolton stated, “and that was simply false.”
He continued, “I don’t know who told the author that, but that was false.”
The central claim of the story is certifiably fake news, and the American people are supposed to believe the other things your anonymous sources said? That’s not how this works.
Still, Goldberg is standing by the bulk of the story. While he acknowledged that Bolton’s counterclaim about the weather cancellation was true, Goldberg went on to add:
“I’ve heard from people in the Pentagon who, Marines, who are a bit insulted that the idea that the Marines couldn’t fly a helicopter in the rain.
“But the larger point is, is that Donald Trump expressed directly to senior aides his lack of desire to go to the cemetery and not to risk 90 minutes in traffic because he doesn’t understand why one would go pay that level of respect to fallen American soldiers.”
CNN asked the Editor to respond to President Trump’s denials that the comments were ever made.
“I would be willing to swear on anything that I never said that about our fallen heroes,” the President said. “There is nobody that respects them more. So, I just think it’s a horrible, horrible thing.”
He added, “What animal would say such a thing?”
Goldberg replied, “Uh, I stand by my reporting. I have multiple sources saying this is what happened, so I stand by it.”
RELATED: John Bolton’s Book Refutes Claims In Anonymously Sourced Atlantic Hit Piece Against Trump
About Those Sources
Goldberg can stand by those sources all he wants, but it says something about his journalistic integrity that he is willing to run a story based on accounts from four anonymous sources instead of actually researching their claims.
Claims that, by now, have been denied by 21 people overall, and over a dozen who had first-hand knowledge of events that took place during the trip in question.
The Atlantic has four nameless sources, while the President has the following backing him up:
- John Bolton (see above and the excerpt from his book).
This seems like a pretty rock solid rebuttal to the Atlantic piece. It’s not like John Bolton was doing Trump any favors in his memoir. https://t.co/d7gGdh4s5J
— Josh Holmes (@HolmesJosh) September 4, 2020
- Zach Fuentes, Former White House Deputy Chief of Staff to Gen. John Kelly: “I don’t know who the sources are,” Fuentes told Breitbart News. “I did not hear POTUS call anyone losers when I told him about the weather. Honestly, do you think General Kelly would have stood by and let ANYONE call fallen Marines losers?”
- Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Former White House Press Secretary:
The Atlantic story on @realDonaldTrump is total BS. I was actually there and one of the people part of the discussion – this never happened. I have sat in the room when our President called family members after their sons were killed in action and it was heart-wrenching…
— Sarah Huckabee Sanders (@SarahHuckabee) September 4, 2020
- Lt. General Keith Kellogg (Ret.), National Security Adviser for Vice President Pence: “The Atlantic story is completely false. Absolutely lacks merit. I’ve been by the President’s side. He has always shown the highest respect to our active duty troops and veterans with utmost respect paid to those who have given the ultimate sacrifice and those wounded in battle.”
- Hogan Gidley, Former White House Deputy Press Secretary:
My response to the horrible lies from anonymous “sources” in the Atlantic: pic.twitter.com/uHtgJvrwCb
— J. Hogan Gidley (@JHoganGidley) September 4, 2020
- Dan Scavino, White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications:
I was with POTUS in France, with Sarah, and have been at his side throughout it all. Complete lies by “anonymous sources” that were “dropped” just as he begins to campaign (and surge). A disgraceful attempt to smear POTUS, 60 days before the Presidential Election! Disgusting!! https://t.co/mQfCNUlyZm
— Dan Scavino??? (@DanScavino) September 4, 2020
- Jordan Karem, Former Personal Aide to President Trump:
This is not even close to being factually accurate. Plain and simple, it just never happened ?♂️ https://t.co/8YZlWS83I3
— Jordan Karem (@JordanKarem1) September 3, 2020
- Stephen Miller, White House Senior Advisor: The Atlantic story is a “despicable lie” and “the president deeply wanted to attend the memorial event in question and was deeply displeased by the bad weather call.”
- First Lady Melania Trump:
.@TheAtlantic story is not true. It has become a very dangerous time when anonymous sources are believed above all else, & no one knows their motivation. This is not journalism – It is activism. And it is a disservice to the people of our great nation.
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) September 4, 2020
- Dan Walsh, Former White House Deputy Chief of Staff: “I can attest to the fact that there was a bad weather call in France, and that the helicopters were unable to safely make the flight.”
- Derek Lyons, Staff Secretary and Counselor to the President: “I was with the President the morning after the scheduled visit. He was extremely disappointed that arrangements could not be made to get him to the site, and that the trip had been cancelled.”
- Johnny DeStefano, Former Counselor to the President:
I was on this trip. The Atlantic bit is not true. Period. https://t.co/gf88OoRYla
— Johnny DeStefano (@johnnydestefano) September 4, 2020
- Tony Ornato, White House Deputy Chief of Staff and Former Secret Service Special Agent in Charge of the Presidential Protective Division:
Meadows says he spoke to aides who were with Trump on the France trip in 2018, including senior adviser Stephen Miller and Tony Ornato, then the head of the presidential protective detail, “who I just spoke to really just pushed back very hard” on the Atlantic reporting.
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) September 4, 2020
- U.S. Ambassador to France and Monaco Jamie McCourt: “In my presence, POTUS has NEVER denigrated any member of the U.S. military or anyone in service to our country. And he certainly did not that day, either. Let me add, he was devastated to not be able to go to the cemetery at Belleau Wood. In fact, the next day, he attended and spoke at the ceremony in Suresnes in the pouring rain.”
The Atlantic’s house of cards is quickly crumbling @JeffreyGoldberg
“Ambassador McCourt was there the day Trump’s team called off the trip to the cemetery at Belleau Wood because of inclement weather.”
U.S. Ambassador to France Denies The Atlantic Storyhttps://t.co/5wjS5HXvMi
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 7, 2020
- Mark Meadows, White House Chief of Staff:
…contained in the Atlantic story are offensive, false, and utterly devoid of merit. To veterans all over the country reading this nonsense: President Trump loves you, appreciates you, and will ALWAYS be there for you. No false political hit job will EVER change that.
— Mark Meadows (@MarkMeadows) September 4, 2020
- Kayleigh McEnany, White House Press Secretary:
I see President @realDonaldTrump consistently express his heartfelt gratitude and absolute admiration for our brave men and women in uniform.
Just yesterday, he was truly humbled to be in the presence of our courageous World War II veterans.
This Atlantic story is garbage!
— Kayleigh McEnany (@PressSec) September 4, 2020
- Judd Deere, Deputy Press Secretary for President Trump:
Not a soul brave enough to put their name on any of these accusations. That’s because they are false. Just another anonymously sourced story meant to tear down a Commander-in-Chief who loves our military and has delivered on the promises he’s made. What a disgrace! https://t.co/NInGxeDcI2
— Judd Deere (@JuddPDeere45) September 3, 2020
- Mick Mulvaney, Former Acting White House Chief of Staff:
I never heard the President disparage our war dead or wounded. In fact, the exact opposite is true. I was with him at the 75th Anniversary of the D-Day invasion in Normandy….
— Mick Mulvaney (@JMMulvaney1) September 4, 2020
- Alyssa Farah, White House Communications Director:
On that Atlantic piece: It’s offensive & patently false. @realDonaldTrump holds the military in the highest regard. He’s demonstrated his commitment to the force: delivering a pay raise to our troops, increasing military $$, signing vets reform & supporting military spouses.
— Alyssa Farah (@Alyssafarah) September 3, 2020
- Nick Ayers, Former Chief of Staff to Vice President Mike Pence:
Make it 20. This is totally and completely false. Cc @Alyssafarah @PressSec https://t.co/4NNUaJDdHm
— Nick Ayers (@nick_ayers) September 8, 2020
- Major General (ret.) Bill Matz, Secretary of the American Battle Monuments Commission:
Make it 21 statements refuting The Atlantic’s false reporting & demonstrating @realDonaldTrump’s respect for our nation’s heroes.
This from retired Maj. Gen. William Matz, who was present in France during the time in question: pic.twitter.com/XF1oVtcqbR
— Brian Morgenstern (@BMorgenstern45) September 8, 2020
At least fourteen of the aforementioned people were on the trip in which these anonymous sources claim the President disparaged veterans.
[totalpoll id=”208442″]
In a perfect world, the Trump administration wouldn’t need to publish so many denials of the story.
In a perfect world, the left-leaning, pro-Biden media would instead be fair, impartial, and balanced in their reporting, never running a story with so many holes in it from so many weak sources.
Facebook called you liars. “False Information. Fact Checked from the Dispatch”
This guy got caught, and didn't expect such a backlash…so he caved! A very happy ending to this FAKE NEWS attempt at smearing Trump so close to the election…
I didn't believe that the POTUS said that $*** from day one!!!!!….. >>> A Black Combat Veteran!!!!
NO SHAME FOR SURE–I believe they would Pro$ t i t u t e their own child for the cause!
They’re able to do that because they know the media will not call them out for it. Hell the media spews the lies themselves.
This fake Journalist is willing to take the word of people who don't have
the Balls to go public they would rather hide in the sewers like RATS and
spread Lies. It's Time that The President took a page from Nick Sandman
and started suing these fake Journalist and their Fake news outlets and
put them out of Business. I realize the President doesn't need the money
He would win from these Law suet's He could donate it to Tunnels to Towers
which would make the Fake News gang's collective Heads Explode.
Who's he trying to s h* t, he knows damned well it was untrue~
The sad part is many people will remember the negative impression of this false report, even though it may be retracted. the liberal media know this and its why you hear so many lies from them, they count on people remembering the negative, even if proven false later on. its not about fair reporting, its all about their 'agenda'.
I think Jonah Goldberg is one of the most despicable and worthless excuses for a journalist who exists. Last week, I was verbally harassed by a coworker who is utterly convinced of this story because "Jonah Goldberg is a journalist and everything can't be fake news". Normally, I get along fine with my coworker, but thanks to these leftists, my coworker has become a raving Trump hater to the point of making things tense on the job.
Can you say it with me, folks??
All together now,
FAKE NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NO!!! The editor of the Atlantic KNOWS it is a lie. That's what liberal/progressives do; they lie and repeat it until it becomes a "fact" (at least to themselves). They even lie to themselves with "Socialism is good" knowing that it hasn't worked in over almost 2000 years (the early Christians tried it and if it didn't work for them it will NEVER work in this world). It has been tried in various parts of the USA at different times in our history, always with disastrous effect.
He should sue that rag for every penny it's owner has.
It does seem the neo-liberals, as some are calling them are the old line globalist, free trade Republicans who are in league with the no borders, cheap foreign workers Democrats to desperately hide their agenda of selling out the American workers for profit by trying to smear Trump's character, which is actually fantastically good, by gossiping and spreading lies and hoaxes.
Those of us who support our president did not believe the false story as soon as it came out. It is about time someone who gave a false story finally admitted they did and hadn't vetted the anonymous sources. But then they never do.
It could be that his "anonymous sources" for the article are actually denying it happened when making public statements.
Either that or he just made it up.
Just making it up could open him up to legal repercussions, a defamation law suite.
It seems that everyone present has actually denied the allegations that Trump said fallen soldiers are losers and suckers, or whatever the article said. I haven't read it and don't plan to waste my time reading it.
I think it's time for Goldberg to reveal his anonymous sources, or else retract the article, that means a public retraction with published retraction in his Atlantic magazine and he should put the retraction on the cover.
Tell your son in law either produce the facts or shut the hell up.
All liberal press is garbage…
Liberals have no shame. There was a time in America when no self respecting news source would ever print a story without verifying the source. However the liberals today seem to think it’s perfectly acceptable to print innuendo and outright lies as facts.
Jeffrey Goldberg is most certainly aware of his actions and surely knows where he's ending up or should I say "ending down".
Very True! And in the next two months you can expect daily Liberal Bombshells
Anonymous sources have advised me that brain-eaters from Venus have arrived in a clown car to a neighborhood near you.
My son-in-law keeps telling me things the Trump allegedly said but I have yet to see any film clips of him actually saying any of them.
We all remember Dan Blather and the FAKE BUT TRUE Document he tried to push
And of course LOSER Dementia Joe Burden immediately believed the Atlantic story and had to make a negative remark about Trump.
You can be sure–there will be more to come!!
He admitted the story was completely made up. He got caught red-handed. He can be James Comey's cell-mate.
Willie cBrown got the prostit u te part right!!
Yes, and it still is sickening!!!
Just like the Left. No moral compass and no SHAME!!Known for their "EVIL " and "IGNORANCE"!! That's ALL, Folks!!
All they intend to do is lie and after it is put out and circulated …say it might not be accurate…THE damage may be done by then because Many believe what they hear WITHOUT ANY BASIS!!
communists lying is normal
could be wrong? It should be wrong enough to lose your magazine in the trash heap of history.
'You sow what you reap" You Repugs have been casting so many lies about the Dems and now you are crying because you are getting a taste of your own medicine.If you don't know what i'm talking about then it shows how well you have been brainwashed !!
Hey Jeffrey, hopefully when you lie down to sleep tonight, you won't wake up tomorrow morning.
R.I.P. COCKROACH.
Something like that…
You are a liar just like the rest of the media, nobody with their right mind believes anything you have to say. Wouldn’t mind if you all closed your business, you all suck.
It has all been since Obama's folks started this immediately after Trump was elected (McCabe, Comey, Mueller, et al).
But there are plenty of variables we need to be wary of. First and foremost: mail-in balloting, and the ensuing possible chaos, etc.
Pretty telling of the HATE, LIES and DISTORTION by Dictator Marc Suckaturd and FB that they CONTINUE to allow THIS LIE to run rampant on their site WHILE SILENCING MANY OPPOSING VIEWS.
The Left will stop at NOTHING, to LIE about our President ! They have NO shame, and I am really worried about what could happen with this Mail in voting . There is NO doubt, that it could cause incredible FRAUD, and it is being pushed by Democrats everywhere, for THAT reason !
So, "The Political Insider" proves my point. Apparently, there is something wrong with my comment. Are you freaking kidding? Why don't you just call out the secret police to come and arrest me for my "horrible" comment. Pathetic!!!
Think real hard about this. https://www.cnbc-news.com/kamala-harrisafter-we-impeach-we-round-up-the-trump-supporters/T
"Could be wrong….But…." He's all jam up now. too late baby cakes. Lawsuit city. Wham Bam Thank ya' Mam https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLnPd7lzT4g
That Anonymous guy seems o come out of the woodwork whenever things are going badly for the dimocRATS.
You mean No Justice Roberts?
Remember, it's the agenda the left cares about…nothing else.
Defamation…and I agree!
And the Dems are counting on "mail-in ballots" to keep Trump from winning, and maybe with the help of Justice Roberts, possibly, they'll be stealing the election…
It's SO obvious, isn't it?…
Sing it, horntex! But I guess Dems gotta be Dems, just like the sly fox has gotta be a sly fox… Trump2020
Well, Linda, they don't care what Trump does! He is pro-America, and stands for all of the great "American" principles and traditions. They must destroy him, and those things, esp. if he is a success…especially if he is a success, because they, the left, do not want their power over the people threatened….
I bet you won't hear about this story in "The Atlantic"…
I bet those who posted it and the 2-3% that believe its true, are all democrats. There are so many people who are gullible and believe anything that is printed. They never do any research on it. Exception being….if its a liberal paper or article, you can believe the complete opposite of what is said. The democrats are so negative and hateful and will say everything bad about Trump; which only make these people appear stupid and hateful. Most of us non-liberals know that.
One word comes to mind….. Litigation
"Could be wrong"?? Sounds like lawsuits are about to bite that….
lawsuits?
The fake news media was salivating when they pushed this lie so high! Now that it has fallen so hard, their silence is so deafening! Can’t help connecting this lie to Schiff’s, Pelosi, Nadler, Schumer, Quid Pro Quo Joe, Kamala and Cuomo!
It'll only make the President stronger and more likely to win in November..This kind of thing will only cement his chances of winning..
They should be sued for (liable) deformation of character..
But, but EX-vp Bidet keeps ranting at his campaign stops that it is true. So that must mean it is true as Bidet says so. Why would he lie? Oh yeah he wants the voters who have received their absentee ballots to fill them out and send them back while they are angry and before the story fades from the news cycle.
The Atlantic just nailed its casket shut.
Where's the accountability? When a news organization intently put out a FAKE news–they should be fined– so big –that would make them BK!!
Gentile haters can get away with anything as long as it hurts gentiles and or Christians. Including mass murder.
"Could be wrong?" Talk about the understatement of the century! This whole thing is just another deep state statist left attack on Trump aimed at costing him re-election.
MSM caught in another lie? At this point, what difference does it make?
"I have multiple sources telling me the story is true". Well there are multiple sources ON THE RECORD saying it is BS, including the President of the United States. Sorry I will take the latter group who are not cowards and have gone on record.The left wing has no shame at all! MAGA/KAG 2020
YOU PATHETIC MEDIA TYPES continue to throw crap at PRESIDENT TRUMP and you are like the boy who cried wolf, even if you were honest and fact checked your stories were correct which they never are nobody would believe the story anyway because your ratings for truth are so low nobody believes you anyway, but when a bleeding heart for OBAMA owns the RAG its not hard to figure out its a LIE. THESE BLEEDING HEARTS for one of the worst presidents, OBAMA in our lifetime DO realize HE CANT BE ELECTED AGAIN THANK GOODNESS WE don't need him to screw any more things up.
Too late the SOB dame ged our president . This lieing from rhe media will get worse near 1103
Here's Bolton; "Maybe if I look like I can tell the truth now & then they'll think the other lies in my book are true"! You cannot trust one of these scum bags. The media has put the American people in a horrible position, we can no longer trust any source; newspapers, TV, department heads, military, doctors, scientists, and the list goes on. However the smart ones can detect bull when we see it, and this is definitely bull for publicity & Trump hate-mongering!
The left wing socialists [commies] are getting more desperate every day and grabbing at straws blindly.
Arrest Him ? File Suit Against Him ? They Need to Pay for These Lies !
This Is Bullshit !
For now on, when you hear the word "anonymous" from their pie hole, automatically assume it is a bald face lie. This so bad in so many ways. Why? Because, you can never trust their reporting ever again. This is how corrupt and broke the fake news media is. They don't report the news, they make up the news. They don't report facts, they create and/or alter them. I never thought this country's news source would ever turn into CCP News Show. But they have.
'Could be wrong'???? It's a FLAT-OUT LIE!! Just like the million other LIES being told on a daily basis.
The idiot has done us a favor by continuing the unhinged assault on america through attacking Trump. Every insane lie, gives more opportunity for independent thinkers to see the media for the trash heap that it has become
Those two are the worst. That's why they are at the top. Easy to control with money. A grifter and a political prostitute, what a team.
Sources now state that Jeffrey Goldberg, Editor-in-Chief may not have been sleeping with little boys. Story could be false.
don't hold your breath for it – even the editor of the Atlantic QUOTE: "Still, Goldberg is standing by the bulk of the story". In other words he admits the sources were anonymous, but still stands by the 'bulk of the story!!!
What's the difference between alleging a story is true and admitting it "could be wrong?" Nothing. No wonder they seem to have missed the point when the Pope condemned gossiping.
So the Socialist rag Atlantic lied. What's new. The Socialist trash will just sweep it under the rug and it will die. That's what Democrat do.
Duh – ya think? The Atlantic knows this story is complete bunk, they're not stupid, they just think the public is. These propagandists are so arrogant. They're used to just lying to the public though and the public doing nothing about it. Find that weapons of mass destruction program in Iraq yet? That's because they just lied about it. I like people are finally catching on that the "news" media is just bunk. They call them "stories" for a reason.
I think it is discussing someone would lie on our President when he has spent four years building up the Military form making sure they had what they needed and got the respect they so deserved. He did that all by him self , not one other president has. Done what he has done and lies on him should stop. Heads need to roll that treat our President the way they do.
Thank you
Linda Allen
And Goldberg is lifelong banished from ALL publishing in 5…4….3…. ???
ANY publication that would employ such a charlatan should be closed.
Hah! Told you extreme left-wing anti-trumpers that this story was FAKE NEWS! So, who's going to apologize first?
What libs do–lie, lie, lie, lie, lie, lie, lie, lie, lie, lie, lie, lie until they die and then . . . OOPS!
One could make the most obvious observation about this but you still aren't allowed to name them out loud in case that upset at being noticed.
Democrats put a lie out there and keep milking it, even when they know it's a lie, until everyone realizes they are a bunch of consistent liars. You can't believe those low-life bstds, including Biden or Harris.
Another liberal lie and this guy doesn't even have the decency to squirm. Unbelievable…wait take that back–our new liberal norm.
Over 21 people, most with first-hand knowledge, GIVING THEIR NAMES despite risking being trolled by the crazy, loser Dems, and only four cowards, hiding in the shadows, shamelessly hiding their names, who have no first-hand knowledge of the events in question, pushing these obvious LIES. Nobody believes the Atlantic story is true. Nobody. It's a stink-bomb, that's all, by a third-rate leftwing RAG.
These liberals are shameless. They publish and hope it sticks when they KNOW they are lying. They need to pay a penalty for their lies. I wish people would stop buying their garbage, both literally and figuratively
So he admits he printed a false story but still stands by some of it. I am never amazed any more at the low depths that the media is willing to explore when trying to make Trump look bad.