The Atlantic is taking heavy fire after publishing a controversial report alleging that former President Donald Trump insulted a slain Mexican-American Army private, Vanessa Guillén, during his time in office. The story, written by The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, claimed Trump had a volatile reaction when faced with the costs of Guillén’s funeral, sparking swift backlash from individuals directly involved, who denounced the report as both false and politically motivated.
Vanessa Guillén’s tragic death in 2020 at the hands of another soldier at Fort Hood captured national attention and led to reforms in how the military handles sexual harassment cases. Following the discovery of her remains, Trump invited the Guillén family to the White House and reportedly offered to cover the funeral expenses. However, Goldberg’s report takes a darker turn, alleging that Trump became enraged when he received the bill, refused to pay, and used a slur to express frustration over the $60,000 cost.
Goldberg claims his sources, including meeting notes from December 2020, confirm Trump’s reaction: “It doesn’t cost 60,000 bucks to bury a f—ing Mexican!” the article quotes him as saying, followed by instructions to his chief of staff Mark Meadows: “Don’t pay it!”
However, those closest to the events have stepped forward to dismantle the story. Natalie Khawam, the Guillén family’s attorney, blasted the article on social media, calling Goldberg’s version a fabrication. She accused him of misrepresenting their conversations and exploiting Vanessa’s memory for political purposes. “He outright LIED,” Khawam wrote on X. “The timing of this story is suspicious. This supposed conversation happened four years ago—why now?”
After having dealt with hundreds of reporters in my legal career, this is unfortunately the first time I have to go on record and call out Jeffrey Goldberg@the Atlantic: not only did he misrepresent our conversation but he outright LIED in HIS sensational story.
More… https://t.co/uJtfsNTo37— Attorney Natalie Khawam (@WhistleblowerLF) October 22, 2024
Mayra Guillén, Vanessa’s sister, echoed Khawam’s outrage, expressing disappointment at the exploitation of her sister’s death. She emphasized that Trump treated their family with kindness and supported the “I Am Vanessa Guillén” Act, which strengthened protections for service members. “President Trump did nothing but show respect,” Mayra stated, adding that she even voted for Trump in the current election. “My sister’s death was never to be politicized.”
Wow.
I don’t appreciate how you are exploiting my sister’s death for politics- hurtful & disrespectful to the important changes she made for service members. President Donald Trump did nothing but show respect to my family & Vanessa. In fact, I voted for President Trump today. https://t.co/o8cDrKOKBV— Mayra Guillen (@mguilen_) October 22, 2024
Former White House staffers, including Mark Meadows and Kash Patel, swiftly denied the report’s claims. Meadows described the allegations as “absolutely false,” asserting that Trump was compassionate and wanted the military to honor Guillén appropriately. Ben Williamson, Meadows’ spokesperson, also criticized the article, warning readers to view it as a “dishonest piece.”
I was in the discussions featured in the Atlantic’s latest hit piece against President Trump. Let me say this.
Any suggestion that President Trump disparaged Ms. Guillen or refused to pay for her funeral expenses is absolutely false.
He was nothing but kind, gracious, and…
— Mark Meadows (@MarkMeadows) October 22, 2024
Adding to the chorus of denials, Theo Wold, who helped translate during the White House meeting with the Guillén family, dismissed the report as a fabrication. Wold emphasized Trump’s genuine concern for Vanessa’s case and reiterated that the former president met privately with the Guillén family, only involving the media if it could help raise awareness about Vanessa’s story. “He even told them that day that the press are vipers. Boy, was President Trump right,” Wold said.
The Atlantic’s report has not only reignited debate over Trump’s character but has also drawn sharp scrutiny for its timing, given the proximity to the 2024 election. The denials from key witnesses—along with the Guillén family’s defense of Trump—cast significant doubt on Goldberg’s account, raising questions about journalistic ethics and political motives. As the fallout continues, the controversy underscores the deepening divide in narratives surrounding Trump, with each side bracing for further battles in the media war zone.
