Trump to war hero’s widow: He knew what he was signing up for
President’s denial after ‘insensitive comment’ fury
donald Trump has come under fire after telling the pregnant widow of a Us special forces soldier killed in action he “knew what he signed up for”.
The President, who himself dodged military service five times, was condemned for his “insensitive” comments after he phoned grieving Myeshia Johnson moments before she greeted her husband’s coffin. Trump offered his condolences to Sergeant La David Johnson’s widow on Tuesday afternoon as she made their way to Miami Airport. Democrat Congresswoman Frederica Wilson was with Myeshia when she took Trump’s call on speaker-phone. She said Trump told Ms Johnson her 25-year-old husband “knew what he signed up for, but when it happens, it hurts anyway”. The comments drew condemnation, with Trump later denying he had said it. He tweeted: “Democrat Congresswoman totally fabricated what I said to the wife of a soldier who died in action (and I have proof ). Sad!” Ms Wilson hit back, saying: “This gentleman has a brain disorder and he needs to be checked out. We should be praising his family, not insulting them.” She added she had “no reason to lie about the President” and “her aunt, her uncle, my press person, the driver [and] the master sergeant” also heard Trump speak. Describing the call – a day after Trump falsely said former President Barack Obama did not phone families of fallen soldiers – Ms Wilson said it “was horrible”. She added: “It was insensitive. It was absolutely crazy. Unnecessary. I was livid.” Ms Johnson, pregnant with the couple’s third child, later collapsed in tears on her husband’s flag-draped coffin at Miami Airport. Trump called the families of all four US troops killed in Niger two weeks ago. The White house said he “offered condolences on behalf of a grateful nation”.