Trump Accused of Privately Raging over Bill for Soldier's Funeral: 'It Doesn't Cost $60K to Bury a F---ing Mexican'

Mar. 15, 2025

President Donald Trump at an Oval Office meeting on July 20, 2020.Photo:Doug Mills/Getty

Doug Mills/Getty

Donald Trump’s campaign is pushing back against a stunning new report fromThe Atlanticabout his alleged anger when he learned the cost of a murdered soldier’s funeral, which he had vowed to pay for when he was president.

Not long after, a public memorial service in Houston and a private funeral were held to honor Guillén.

People pay respects to murdered soldier Vanessa Guillén at a memorial in Austin, Texas, on July 6, 2020.Sergio Flores/Getty

Sergio Flores/Getty

Several months later, in December 2020, Trump allegedly brought Guillén up during an Oval Office meeting.The Atlanticspoke to two witnesses who were reportedly in the room, who said that Trump asked an official, “Did they bill us for the funeral? What did it cost?”

Trump allegedly grew irate at the news, according toThe Atlantic’s sources, saying, “It doesn’t cost 60,000 bucks to bury a f—ing Mexican!” The witnesses claim that Trump then turned to his chief of staff,Mark Meadows, and ordered him not to pay the bill.

Later that day, a witness claimed that Trump expressed continued anger at the cost, allegedly saying, “Can you believe it? F—ing people, trying to rip me off.”

When confronted withThe Atlantic’s reporting, the Trump campaign called the story an “outrageous lie” and suggested that the outlet was aiming to hurt Trump’s presidential bid as Election Day draws near.

The campaign also forwarded — to bothThe Atlanticand PEOPLE — accounts from others in Trump’s orbit who refuted the claims.

One denial was attributed to Kash Patel, who was in the room when the “f—ing Mexican” comment was allegedly made, saying, “Of course, President Trump didn’t say that. President Trump ensured that this victim received full military honors.”

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Mayra Guillén — the late soldier’s sister who has remained a Trump supporter — also shared a statement, saying, “I am beyond grateful for all the support President Donald Trump showed our family during a trying time. I witnessed firsthand how President Trump honors our nation’s heroes' service. We are grateful for everything he has done and continues to do to support our troops.”

Former President Donald Trump at his Bedminster, N.J., golf club on Aug. 15, 2024.Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty

Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty

Trump’s relationship with the military and its veterans has long been a topic of conversation, as reports of disparaging remarks have surfaced since his time in office.

In 2020,The Atlanticreported that Trump allegedly called fallen soldiers"suckers" and “losers"as he canceled a cemetery visit. The outlet claimed that he also applied that criticism to late Republican Sen.John McCain, who spent more than five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, saying, “We’re not going to support that loser’s funeral.”

Trump denied both of those claims — though Meghan McCain, for one,said she believed the reportsbecause of the “consistent history and pattern” of him insulting people who served in the military.

Trump denied the parade story as well, but in 2023 his former chief of staff John Kelly — who was reportedly present during that conversation — seconded the allegation in a statement to CNN, calling Trump “a person that did not want to be seen in the presence of military amputees because ‘it doesn’t look good for me.’ "

In the statement, the retired U.S. Marine Corps general claimed Trump “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.' "

John Kelly and Donald Trump (both in the center) lay flowers on the grave of Kelly’s son, 1st Lt. Robert Kelly, on May 29, 2017.Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty

Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty

A new book from journalist Bob Woodward, titledWar,includes more Trump criticisms from those in his former administration.

According to Woodward, Milley called Trump a “fascist to the core” and “the most dangerous person to this country.”

source: people.com