バイデン氏、仏で米戦没者墓地を訪問　前任トランプ氏との違い示す

【ベロー（フランス）ＡＦＰ＝時事】ジョー・バイデン米大統領は９日、国賓訪問していたフランスで第１次世界大戦中に戦死した米兵が埋葬されている墓地を訪れた。ドナルド・トランプ前大統領は在任中の２０１８年に同墓地への訪問を直前に中止しており、姿勢の違いを鮮明にした形となった。トランプ氏は戦死米兵を「負け犬」と呼んだとも報じられていた。（写真は、仏北部ベローのエーヌマルヌ米国人墓地で哀悼の意を表すジョー・バイデン米大統領）
　５日から５日間の日程で訪仏していたバイデン氏は、最終日となるこの日、北部ベロー近郊にあるエーヌマルヌ米国人墓地と追悼施設を訪れた。墓地には、１９１８年に近辺の戦闘で命を落とした米兵を中心に２２８９人が眠っている。
　バイデン氏は、墓地の礼拝堂に掲げられた花輪に触れた後、しばらく無言でたたずみ、十字を切って祈りをささげた。
　トランプ氏は２０１８年、雨天のため、ヘリコプターでの移動は危険だとして、同墓地への公式訪問を取りやめた。
　しかし、米誌アトランティックは情報筋の話として、トランプ氏が予定を中止したのは訪問の意義を見いだせなかったのが理由と報道。自身の髪形が乱れることを気にしていたとの見方もあった。
　同誌によれば、トランプ氏は側近に対し、「なぜあの墓地に行かなければならないんだ？ 負け犬で埋め尽くされた場所だ」と語り、ベローウッドの戦いで死亡した１８００人以上の海兵隊員についても「間抜け」と呼んだ。
　バイデン氏はこの日の訪問でトランプ氏に言及することはなかったが、最近の資金調達イベントではそうした過去の発言を引き合いに出し、「大統領にふさわしくない」と批判していた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/06/10-17:17）

US President Joe Biden travelled to a World War I cemetery in France on Sunday in a visit seen as a jab at his predecessor Donald Trump who in 2018 skipped the visit, reportedly calling American war dead losers.
Biden, an 81-year-old Democrat, is set to face Trump, a 77-year-old Republican, later this year in a presidential election that commentators predict will subject US democracy to a severe test.
On the last day of his five-day tour, Biden visited the sprawling Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Memorial near the village of Belleau in northern France.
The cemetery contains the graves of 2,289 war dead, most of whom fought in the vicinity and in the Marne Valley in 1918.
During the visit, Biden saluted military officers standing beside a floral wreath at the bottom of the steps of a cemetery chapel.
He then approached the wreath, touched it, stood silently for a few moments and made the sign of the cross.
- Trump troop controversy -
Then-president Trump cancelled his visit to the site in 2018, officially due to poor weather that made helicopter travel risky.
But the Atlantic magazine, citing sources, said Trump refused to visit the cemetery because he did not think it was important and because he was also concerned about his hair.
Why should I go to that cemetery? It's filled with losers, the magazine quoted Trump as telling his staff members.
In a separate conversation, Trump called the marines who perished at Belleau Wood suckers, the Atlantic reported.
The billionaire has denied making those remarks.
Biden has repeatedly needled Trump over the report.
He said they're 'losers' and 'suckers', Biden said at a recent fundraiser.
Who in the hell does he think he is? This guy does not deserve to be president, he said in comments released by the White House.
Biden preferred not to discuss the controversy on Sunday, however.
Asked by reporters what message he wanted to send to voters, Biden replied: Any other question?
Biden has been in France since Wednesday and took part in this week's commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
Those landings in northern France, involving US, British, Canadian and other foreign troops, changed the course of World War II.
On Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Biden on a state visit overshadowed by Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion.
Biden said he had travelled to France many times but this has been the most remarkable trip that I've ever made.