Washington – President Donald Trump is defending his call to a fallen soldier’s widow, saying he was “respectful” and did not forget the slain soldier’s name. The widow says Trump’s tone in the phone call angered her and that the president “couldn’t remember my husband’s name.”
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Monday’s exchange was the latest in an ongoing dispute over how Trump responded to news that four service members were killed in the African nation of Niger.
Trump addressed the call on Twitter Monday after Myeshia Johnson, La David Johnson’s widow, appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” It was Myeshia Johnson’s first interview after a Democratic congresswoman accused Trump of being callous in the call by telling the widow that her husband “knew what he signed up for.”
Trump had accused Rep. Frederica Wilson of fabricating the statement. Trump in other tweets called her “wacky” and accused her of “SECRETLY” listening to the phone call.
Johnson confirmed Wilson’s account on Monday, saying the congresswoman was a longtime friend who was with the family in the car when Trump called and listened on speakerphone. She said she had asked for the call to be put on speakerphone so relatives with her could hear.
“The president said that he knew what he signed up for but it hurts anyway,” Johnson said. She added: “The only way he could remember my husband’s name was he told me he had my husband’s report in front of him and that’s when he actually said La David.”
On Twitter, Trump said: “I had a very respectful conversation with the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson, and spoke his name from beginning, without hesitation!”
The four U.S. soldiers were killed Oct. 4 in Niger when they were attacked by militants tied to the Islamic State. The political conflict has steadily escalated for a week, with Wilson attacking the administration and the president firing off insulting tweets.
White House Chief of Staff John Kelly entered the fray Thursday. The retired Marine general asserted that the congresswoman had delivered a 2015 speech at an FBI field office dedication in which she “talked about how she was instrumental in getting the funding for that building,” rather than keeping the focus on the fallen agents for which it was named. Video of the speech contradicted his recollection.
Wilson on Sunday asked Kelly to apologize. Speaking on MSNBC’s “AM Joy,” she called Kelly a “puppet of the president” and accused him of character assassination
How I wish our President could just move on.
Every person has the right to express their feelings,and if the poor mother felt hurt,what more can be done.
It seems as if the President was advised to always get great publicity out of every issue that deals with him in the public eye,but that is really mission impossible.
So who is smarter? Carter or Trump?
“saying he was respectful” Is that even possible? To whom was he ever respectful: Not to his wife, women, Veterans, disabled, Republicans ,Democrats, former Presidents, Senators, Congressman, immigrants, Press etc or even the people who voted for him
“Video of his speech contradicted his recollection” Not much better than his boss.
Who really cares what and how is consoled this poor wife of a fallen soldier.
All Trump had to say I am sorry for your loss of a soldier which by the way i forgot his name and thats it.
I dont believe he has to remember every fallen soldier by name he has the right to read it from his documents and if he does make a mistake so what.
My advice to Mr. Trump just ignore those critics and say I am sorry and go on with leading this great country which has bigger problems then saying the right words
Why can’t he just say, I regret if the phone call increased the widow’s pain and I honor her husband’s sacrifice. And theN SHUT UP.
The trouble is that Trump adds his extra 3 cents that gets him into TROUBLE!!
Not a word yet from “Educated Archie” defending his hero, Liddle’ Donald Trump.
The FakeMedia is throwing anything and everything against the wall, hoping something will stick. And yet, the American people stand with Trump! Must be a bummer for the media, lol…
He didn’t mean to be disrespectful Maybe it came out awkwardly. He has a weird way of expressing himself. This is really a non-story. Even his lie that he speaks to every family is kind of par for the course. Worry more about the fact that his tax cuts will exponentially add to the deficit.