Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee told Newsmax on Wednesday that it's "tragic" that all the Democrats seem to have to stand on, in the closing days of the 2024 race for the White House, is smearing former President Donald Trump.
On Wednesday, Trump's campaign officials pushed back against an article published by The Atlantic – calling it a "false smear" – in which the magazine claimed the then-president reneged on a promise to pay a murdered soldier's funeral costs.
NBC News also reported that John Kelly, former White House chief of staff during the Trump administration, said the former president praised Adolf Hitler while in office.
Huckabee said that most of such reports come from "unnamed, anonymous sources."
"Let me give you a source that's willing to go on the record: My daughter, who was very close to the president, was in the Oval Office more than any other White House staff member, including the chief of staff, for the entire time she was there," Huckabee told "Newsline" of his daughter, Arkansas GOP Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who formerly served as press secretary in the Trump White House.
"She tells me, and has repeated that so many times in public, that no one had a greater respect for the military than Donald Trump," he said. "He never said those things. She was with him time and again, and it just simply isn't true. The 'suckers and losers' comment never happened. This is, again, one of those myths, and it's tragic that that's all the Democrats have is making up and fabricating stuff, because the truth won't set them free. The truth will send them home."
The former governor also weighed in on Vice President Kamala Harris' decision to take a day off from the campaign trail to prepare for taped interviews.
"I can't imagine a candidate this close to the election taking a day off," Huckabee said. "I've been involved in lots of campaigns as the candidate. The idea that I would tell the campaign staff, 'You know, I'm going to cool it for a couple of days and put my feet up, watch some movies, maybe read a book' ain't happening. That's not what you do this close to the election. You go on adrenaline. You live off of cold pizza and hot sodas. That's what you do right up until the last vote is counted."
About NEWSMAX TV:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!
- Find Newsmax channel in your home via cable and satellite systems – More Info Here
- Watch Newsmax+ on your home TV app or smartphone and watch it anywhere! Try it for FREE -- See More Here: NewsmaxPlus.com
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.