This is basically how I feel about the story. It’s “too perfect” of a story for the left.
The way I feel about it is I think he likely said MOST of what was reported, but it's very possible some of the explicit statements attributed to him occurred at different times than the events described.
Also quite possible, even likely, that some of the specific statements attributed to Trump has some details or wording wrong especially if those serving as sources received their information secondhand or even thirdhand.
That said, I absolutely believe that probably at least 80-85% is true, and is almost exactly what he said, while the remainder may be subject to what I mentioned above. Nonetheless, I don't think the "sources" used are fabricating anything or exaggerating.
If untrue, you'd expect Kelly, Mattis, etc to come out and say so. They still have honor and integrity. Even Bolton said he simply didn't hear the comments on one particular day in question, but that he could definitely believe Trump said something like that. Bolton has no reason to both defend Trump AND say it does sound like the type of thing he would say.
I think the White House denials are very much based off of the exact wording used or the time/place certain stuff was said. We know from several books that have already been published that Trump has repeatedly mocked, denigrated, and insulted military officers. He even did so in his recent press conference. He did it to Vindman. He did it to John McCain.
Does it matter if the story is only 95% accurate? Yes, it does. We should always want the complete and unvarnished truth.
But MAGA-world wants to pretend if a few quotes are not exact, or if a few times/places are off, that it means the entire article is false and should be discounted.
Does anyone here doubt that Trump has the ability to say such grotesque things? Does anyone doubt he's said similar things before?
If would be great if we could get confirmed reporting on EXACTLY what took place and what was said in each situation, but that's never going to happen. Two eyewitnesses often see/hear different things. Trump is the type who always denies denies denies and his press secretary and others have zero problem lying for him.
What remains important is that members of the military who have worked with Trump aren't coming out and defending him. Neither are people freed from the chains of the White House with a history of truth-telling whether it is pro or anti Trump (e.g. Bolton).
It's like everything else with Trump. Does it just happen to be that everyone he hires is an incompetent, lying, scoundrel? And when they leave they ALL decide to make up lies about Trump? Or is it more that if you tell the truth about Trump he and his allies immediately tried to assassinate your character? It's the old saying of if you run into one a-hole on Monday morning, it's just something you have to deal with, but if everyone you run into all week is an a-hole, then maybe YOU'RE the a-hole. That's where I'm at as it pertains to Trump's lying and the stories told by his former employees/staff. Is it possible some of them lie/exaggerate? Sure. But there's simply too many all saying virtually the same thing. What's more likely? They're the a-hole or he is?
