WASHINGTON: Melania Trump on Friday defended her husband against allegations that he referred to US Marines buried in a WWI cemetery in France as "losers" and "suckers."

In a rare public statement, the US first lady rejected as "not true" the accusations made in an article published in The Atlantic magazine.

"It has become a very dangerous time when anonymous sources are believed above all else, & no one knows their motivation. This is not journalism -- It is activism. And it is a disservice to the people of our great nation," she tweeted.

On Thursday The Atlantic reported -- citing four anonymous sources who said they had firsthand knowledge of the discussions -- that President Donald Trump had referred to US Marines buried in a World War I cemetery in France as "losers" and "suckers" for getting killed in action.