President Donald Trump has taken to Twitter anew to deny allegations by a Miami-Dade Democratic congresswoman that he issued an insensitive statement to the grieving widow of a fallen soldier killed in the Niger ambush. Trump said the claims by the lawmaker were full fabrications.
U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson claimed she heard Trump on speakerphone told the widow her husband “knew what he signed up for”. The mainstream media picked on the supposed "insensitive statement" of the President and some easily criticized him for it.
In his recent tweet, the President addressed the issue and clarified: “Democrat Congresswoman totally fabricated what I said to the wife of a soldier who died in action (and I have proof!). Sad!”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Democrat Congresswoman totally fabricated what I said to the wife of a soldier who died in action (and I have proof). Sad!</p>— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/920611770775064576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Wilson, who represents Miami Gardens, claimed she heard such remark of the President on speakerphone while she was in a car with the soldier’s widow, Myeshia Johnson, heading to the Miami International Airport to see the body of her husband Tuesday afternoon which was set to arrive then.
Wilson claimed she heard Trump tell the widow that: “he knew what he signed up for… but when it happens, it hurts, anyway.” Wilson later told the media that she was “livid” with what she supposedly heard from the President. "Why do you need to say that? You don’t say that to someone who lost family, the father, the breadwinner. You can say, 'I’m so sorry for your loss. He’s a hero.'"
Trump’s tweet hints that he’s not through with the clarification, and may soon come out with proof to discredit Wilson’s claims. The President’s tweet has been retweeted by his followers nearly 8,000 times and liked by over 30,000 followers and counting in just an hour of posting.
The fallen soldier, Sgt. La David T. Johnson, was killed in Niger when U.S. troops and their local allies were ambushed by rebel forces affiliated with ISIS. Two other U.S. troops were also killed in the attack, while others are wounded. Johnson’s remains returned to Miami on Tuesday.
Myeshia is pregnant with their third child. Johnson had Myeshia’s name tattooed across his chest under his U.S. Army uniform. He was given a ceremonial homecoming at Miami International Airport and a salute. His family. Dignitaries, and law enforcement officers all saluted Johnson as his casket, draped in the American flag, was wheeled out of a Delta Airlines plane going to Fred Hunter’s Funeral Home in Hollywood.
Trump personally called Johnson’s widow to convey his condolences and support to the family.
Source:
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/920611770775064576
