DONALD TRUMP has rejected a claim he told the widow of a fallen soldier ‘he knew what he signed up for.’
Democratic congresswomen Frederica Wilson said she was left feeling shocked after overhearing a phone call between the president and the wife of the fallen soldier, Myeshia Johnson.
She claims Mr Trump told Ms Johnson that her husband ‘knew what he signed up for’ and that his comment made the widow cry.
Asked about the president’s remark Mrs Wilson answered: ‘Yeah, he said that. To me, that is something that you can say in a conversation, but you shouldn’t say that to a grieving widow. That’s so insensitive.’
Mr Trump later responded by tweeting: ‘Democrat Congresswoman totally fabricated what I said to the wife of a soldier who died in action (and I have proof). Sad!’
He did not specify what proof he had.
Following Mr Trump’s reponse Ms Wilson stood by her account saying telling CNN: ‘The president evidently is lying, because what I said is true,’ adding that others in the car with Mrs Johnson who overheard the presiden’s remark.
Escalating her criticism, Ms Wilson added: ‘He doesn’t even know how to sympathise with people. We’re grieving. This is a grieving community.
‘It’s disgraceful for him to even tweet about this. This gentleman has a brain disorder and he needs to be checked out.’
Sgt La David Johnson was among four servicemen killed in the African nation of Niger earlier this month when militants thought to be affiliated with the Islamic State group ambushed them while they were patrolling with Nigerian troops in unarmoured trucks.
Ms Wilson said she did not hear the entire conversation and Mrs Johnson told her she could not remember everything that was said when asked it about it later.
Mr Trump has been criticised for not reaching out to relatives of the four soldiers killed in Niger.
On Monday, he said he had written letters that had not yet been mailed with his aides saying they had been awaiting information before proceeding.
He also provoked a row by suggesting his predecessors failed to meet families of military personnel killed in war.
‘Most of them didn’t make calls,’ he said of his predecessors, prompting former presidential aides to leap to the defence of their ex-bosses.
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