### Trump Faces Backlash Over Alleged Racist Comment on Vanessa Guillén Funeral Costs

Former President Donald Trump is under fire for a reportedly racist comment about the funeral costs of slain soldier Vanessa Guillén, a controversy further stirred by her sister Mayra Guillén’s vocal support for Trump. According to The Atlantic, Trump allegedly balked at the $60,000 cost for Guillén’s funeral during a December 2020 meeting, exclaiming, "It doesn't cost $60,000 to bury a f---ing Mexican!" Trump then instructed his chief of staff, Mark Meadows, not to cover the expenses, despite a prior promise to the family. These claims, based on unnamed sources, have not been confirmed by NBC News.

Mark Meadows and Trump campaign spokesman Alex Pfeiffer have both denied that Trump made such a comment. Mayra Guillén, who was not present at the meeting where the comment was allegedly made, defended Trump on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. "President Donald Trump did nothing but show respect to my family & Vanessa. In fact, I voted for President Trump today," she wrote in her post.

Natalie Khawam, the Guillén family attorney, corroborated that a bill was sent to Trump but that no money was received from him. She noted that some funeral costs were covered by the Army and through donations. Khawam also condemned The Atlantic story.

Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, criticized Trump for the alleged remark, accusing him of showing contempt for Latinos, women, and military service members. Trump has a history of controversial statements against people of Mexican descent and other Latinos, which began during his first presidential campaign in 2015.

Guillén was murdered in 2020 by a fellow soldier at Fort Hood, Texas, now renamed Fort Cavazos. Her death brought attention to the military's handling of sexual harassment and led to significant reforms. Parts of the "I Am Vanessa Guillen Act" were included in the Defense Authorization Act signed by President Joe Biden in 2021.

Despite the controversy, Trump has seen an increase in support among Hispanic voters. According to a recent NBC News poll, around 40% of registered Hispanic voters support Trump, while 54% support Vice President Kamala Harris.

Artemio Muniz, chairman of the Federation of Hispanic Republicans, suggested that Hispanic voters are likely to weigh the context of The Atlantic's report against Mayra Guillén’s defense of Trump. Muniz highlighted Trump's role in bringing attention to the Guillén case.

Jason Villalba, CEO of the Texas Hispanic Public Policy Foundation, argued that Trump's remarks reflect a pattern, but believed they may not significantly affect his support among conservative Hispanics. Villalba noted that Trump's rhetoric is already well-known to his supporters.

Domingo Garcia, former LULAC President and current chairman of the LULAC Adelante political action committee, condemned Trump's reported comment as a severe insult to Mexican Americans and soldiers. LULAC, founded in 1929 by World War I veterans, has a long history of advocating for the rights of Mexican Americans and other Latinos in the U.S.