Fact Check: Did Donald Trump refuse to cover funeral costs of slain Texas soldier Vanessa Guillen?

WASHINGTON, DC: Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, published a bombshell article, containing serious allegations against former President Donald Trump on October 22. 

The piece recounts a series of disturbing, albeit anonymously sourced, anecdotes about the GOP nominee, including controversial remarks he allegedly made regarding the funeral of US Army soldier Vanessa Guillen.

In the article, Goldberg alleged that Trump had initially pledged to help cover the funeral costs of Vanessa, a soldier killed at Texas' Fort Hood Army Base in April 2020.

However, according to unnamed sources, he later reacted furiously upon receiving a $60,000 bill, allegedly stating, "It doesn’t cost 60,000 dollars to bury a [f******] Mexican," and ordered his staff not to pay.

The claim, as published, relies on two anonymous witnesses and purported contemporaneous notes from a White House aide.

Donald Trump became directly involved with the Guillen family's campaign for justice and reforms

With polarized reactions across media and social platforms, the story has grown into a major flashpoint in the current election season, prompting deeper scrutiny of the facts surrounding Donald Trump’s involvement in Vanessa Guillen’s case and the validity of Jeffrey Goldberg's claims.

On April 22, 2020, Vanessa, a soldier with the 3rd Cavalry Regiment stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, went missing. Following intense searches and national media attention, her remains were discovered in a remote location two months later.

According to criminal charges filed in Texas' Western District, a fellow soldier, Aaron David Robinson, was implicated in her brutal murder. He allegedly disposed of her body along the Leon River with the help of an accomplice, Cecily Aguilar. 

Vanessa's family had reported that she told them about facing sexual harassment on the base but was uncomfortable reporting the incidents due to fear of retaliation. Her tragic death became a rallying cry for justice, particularly regarding the issue of sexual harassment and assault in the military.

Her story led to the "I Am Vanessa Guillen Act," which aimed to reform how the military handles cases of sexual misconduct, removing such investigations from the chain of command.

Trump became directly involved with the family's campaign for justice and reforms after inviting them to the White House on July 30, 2020.

He met with her sister, Mayra Guillen, her mother, Gloria Guillen, and the family's attorney, Natalie Khawam.

During the meeting, he expressed shock over the unresolved investigation and, according to a transcript, offered financial support for the funeral. 

Verification of claims remains elusive given the anonymous nature of Jeffrey Goldberg's sources

In his piece, Jeffrey Goldberg recounts an alleged incident that took place on December 4, 2020, during a White House meeting on national security.

The meeting reportedly included Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller and his chief of staff, Kash Patel.

According to Goldberg's anonymous sources, Trump became visibly agitated upon hearing details from an internal Army investigation about institutional failings related to Vanessa's death.

In this context, the question of her funeral expenses allegedly arose, leading to Trump's reported outburst about the cost.

Goldberg claims the information came from two unnamed attendees and the contemporaneous notes of another participant. However, the allegations remain unverified, with key figures named in the report disputing its contents.

For instance, representatives for Trump have denied the alleged statement attributed to him. 

However, the Guillen family attorney, Khawam, did confirm to Goldberg that no money was received from Trump, though the Army covered some costs and offered Vanessa a burial plot in Arlington National Cemetery.

The Guillen family has voiced objections to The Atlantic's article, saying that it misrepresents their interactions with Trump.

Mayra, Vanessa's sister, took to X (formerly Twitter) to express her frustration, writing, "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."

Khawam, also reacted strongly, accusing Goldberg of twisting facts. Although she did not specify which parts she considered false, her statement on X criticized The Atlantic's portrayal of her conversation with Goldberg, suggesting that his narrative was politically motivated and inaccurate.

The strong denials from the Guillen family have led some conservative outlets to label Goldberg's report as "debunked."

However, given the anonymous nature of the journalist's sources, verification remains elusive, with both sides claiming the story is either fabricated or taken out of context, according to Snopes.