The widow of a dead US soldier says President Trump could not remember
her husband's name when he phoned to offer condolences.
Myeshia Johnson, widow of Sgt La David Johnson, told ABC News the
president's "stumbling" had "hurt her the most".
"If my husband is out here fighting for our country and he risks
his life for our country, why can't you remember his name?" she added.
Sgt La David Johnson was killed in Niger by
Islamist militants this month.
President Trump's call of condolence made headlines when congresswoman
Frederica Wilson - who heard it with the family - accused him of insensitivity.
Sgt. La David Johnson is a hero. @realDonaldTrump does not
possess the character, empathy or grace to be president of the United States.
— Rep
Frederica Wilson (@RepWilson) October 18, 2017
End of Twitter post by @RepWilson
Myeshia Johnson appeared to confirm Ms Wilson's assertion that Mr Trump
had told her her husband had known what he had signed up for when joining the
military.
"The president said that he knew what he signed up for, but it
hurts anyways... It made me cry because I was very angry at the tone of his
voice and how he said it," she said.
"He had my husband's report in front of him, and that's when he
actually said La David. I heard him stumbling on trying to remember my
husband's name."
President Trump has disputed the account of the call given by Ms Wilson
and he also defended himself on Twitter on Monday morning, writing: "I had
a very respectful conversation with the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson, and
spoke his name from beginning, without hesitation!"
I had a very respectful conversation with the widow of Sgt. La David
Johnson, and spoke his name from beginning, without hesitation!
—
Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 23, 2017
End of Twitter post by @realDonaldTrump
Sgt Johnson was one of four US special forces soldiers who died in an
ambush on 4 October.
Mr Trump had already been criticised for not contacting the families of
the dead servicemen right after they were killed.
He responded to the criticism
by falsely claiming that
his predecessor, Barack Obama, and other former US presidents had not called
the relatives of dead service members.
The White House said Mr Trump's conversations with the families of dead
servicemen were private.
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