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Trump feud continues as Florida congresswoman calls John Kelly a liar White House under fire for suggesting general's remarks should not be questioned
(about 7 hours later)
Frederica Wilson, the Democratic congresswoman who criticized Donald Trump’s call to the widow of a US soldier killed in Niger, has accused the White House chief staff, John Kelly, of lying about her in remarks about the handling of military families. The White House has been condemned for attempting to silence the media by warning that it is “highly inappropriate” to challenge the veracity of remarks by a military general.
From the White House podium on Thursday, Kelly rebuked Wilson for sharing details of Trump’s condolence call to Myeshia Johnson, the widow of Sgt La David Johnson, one of four US troops killed by Islamic State fighters in Niger. A reporter on Friday questioned a claim by the White House chief of staff, John Kelly, a retired four-star marine general, that the Democratic congresswoman Frederica Wilson had taken credit for securing funding for an FBI building in Florida.
“We were stunned, stunned that she’d done it,” Kelly said. “Even for someone that is that empty a barrel, we were stunned.” Chip Reid, a CBS News correspondent, said during the daily press briefing: “He was wrong yesterday in talking about getting the money. The money was secured before she came into Congress.”
Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary, replied coldly: “If you want to go after Gen Kelly, that’s up to you. But I think that if you want to get into a debate with a four-star marine general, I think that that’s something highly inappropriate.”
Reid’s follow-up question was ignored and the implication – from a democratically elected civilian government – that a military general was beyond criticism was troubling to many.
Perry O’Brien, a former army medic who served in Afghanistan, said: “It’s just another example of the administration hiding behind the uniform of others. That’s why it’s so unfortunate to see someone like Gen Kelly enable that and jump on the grenade that Trump threw.”
O’Brien, organising director of Common Defense, a group of veterans against Trump, added: “When you say, ‘How dare you criticise a general?’, how about [former Trump national security adviser] Gen Michael Flynn, who was the first to resign after we learned they were colluding with foreign powers? I don’t think most generals would say a star on your shoulder makes you immune from criticism.”
Kelly appeared at the White House podium on Thursday, to defend Trump against the charge that he caused offence during a call with the widow of Sgt La David Johnson, one of four US soldiers killed in Niger earlier this month by Islamic State fighters. Wilson heard the call and criticised Trump for disrespecting Johnson’s widow, Myeshia.
While defending the president, Kelly – whose son Robert was killed in Afghanistan in 2010 – accused Wilson of “grandstanding” in a 2015 speech by saying she was instrumental in getting funding for an FBI building in Florida and took care of her constituents because she got the money. Wilson denied the charge and video evidence appeared to support her account.
Kelly stood by his accusation, Sanders said on Friday. “Gen Kelly said he was stunned that Representative Wilson made comments at a building dedication honouring slain FBI agents about her own actions in Congress, including lobbying former president Obama on legislation,” she said.
“As Gen Kelly pointed out, if you’re able to make a sacred act like honouring American heroes all about yourself, you’re an ‘empty barrel’. If you don’t understand that reference, I’ll put it a little more simply. As we say in the south: all hat, no cattle.”
Wilson regularly wears a cowboy hat.
Challenged over the video footage of the speech, in which Wilson praises FBI agents, Sanders insisted: “She also had quite a few comments that day that weren’t part of that speech and weren’t part of that video that were also witnessed by many people that were there.”
The press secretary also rejected criticism from Johnson’s mother, Cowanda Jones-Johnson, who supports the accounts of the Trump phone call given by her son’s widow and Wilson.
“Certainly, if the spirit of which those comments were intended were misunderstood, that’s very unfortunate,” Sanders said. “But as the president has said, as Gen Kelly said – who I think has a very deep understanding of what that individual would be going through – his comments were very sympathetic, very respectful. And that was the spirit in which the president intended them. If they were taken any other way, that’s certainly an unfortunate thing.”
According to Wilson, Trump told Johnson’s widow her late husband “knew what he signed up for, but when it happens it hurts anyway”.According to Wilson, Trump told Johnson’s widow her late husband “knew what he signed up for, but when it happens it hurts anyway”.
Kelly, a retired four-star general, effectively corroborated that account, saying he had counseled Trump on how to make the call by telling him of the morning he was told of his son Robert’s death. Kelly in effect corroborated that account, saying he had counseled Trump on how to make the call by telling him of the morning he was told of his son’s death. Kelly recalled his close friend, Gen Joseph Dunford, telling him his son “was doing exactly what he wanted to do when he was killed”.
Kelly recalled his close friend, Gen Joseph Dunford, telling him his son “was doing exactly what he wanted to do when he was killed” in Afghanistan in 2010.
“He knew what the possibilities were, because we’re at war,” Kelly said. “That’s what the president tried to say to the four families the other day.”“He knew what the possibilities were, because we’re at war,” Kelly said. “That’s what the president tried to say to the four families the other day.”
Trump, however, continued to vehemently deny that he said such words. Trump, however, continues to vehemently deny that he said such words.
“The fake news is going crazy with wacky congresswoman Wilson [Democrat] who was secretly on a very personal call and gave a total lie on content,” he tweeted late Thursday. “The fake news is going crazy with wacky congresswoman Wilson [Democrat] who was secretly on a very personal call and gave a total lie on content,” he tweeted late on Thursday.
Kelly also suggested Wilson eavesdropped on a highly sensitive call. The congresswoman, a close friend of the Johnson family, pointed out she was in the car when Myeshia Johnson received Trump’s call, which was placed on speakerphone. Kelly also suggested Wilson had eavesdropped on a highly sensitive call. The congresswoman, a close friend of the Johnson family, pointed out she was in the car when Myeshia Johnson received the call, which was placed on speakerphone.
“I wasn’t listening in,” she told CNN on Friday. “Please don’t characterize it as that.”“I wasn’t listening in,” she told CNN on Friday. “Please don’t characterize it as that.”
Wilson said Trump’s comments were “not a good message to say to anyone who has lost a child at war”.Wilson said Trump’s comments were “not a good message to say to anyone who has lost a child at war”.
“You don’t sign up because you think you’re going to die,” Wilson said. “You sign up to serve your country. There’s nothing to misinterpret. He said what he said. I just don’t agree with it. I just don’t agree with that’s what you should say to grieving families.” “You don’t sign up because you think you’re going to die,” she said. “You sign up to serve your country. There’s nothing to misinterpret. He said what he said. I just don’t agree with it. I just don’t agree with that’s what you should say to grieving families.”
Johnson’s mother was also offended by Trump’s tone, telling reporters this week: “President Trump did disrespect my son and my daughter and also me and my husband.” Regarding Kelly’s remarks about the FBI field office speech, Wilson said she had not been a member of Congress in 2009, when the funding mentioned by Kelly was secured. “That’s a lie,” she said of Kelly’s characterization. “How dare he?”
Kelly also attacked Wilson for allegedly taking credit for securing funding from Barack Obama for an FBI field office, at a 2015 ceremony which he also attended. She added: “I feel sorry for Gen Kelly. He has my sympathy for the loss of his son. But he can’t just go on TV and lie on me.”
Wilson said she was not a member of Congress in 2009 when the funding mentioned by Kelly was secured. Her role, she said, was in having the building dedicated to two FBI agents who were killed in a 1986 shootout in Miami.
“That’s a lie,” Wilson said of Kelly’s characterization. “How dare he?”
She added: “I feel sorry for General Kelly. He has my sympathy for the loss of his son. But he can’t just go on TV and lie on me.”
A video of Wilson’s remarks at the ceremony, published by the SunSentinel on Friday, support the congresswoman’s account. She briefly discusses her efforts to dedicate the building for the fallen agents, but at no point takes credit for securing funding.
Wilson said she was seeking answers about the attack in Niger, in which Johnson reportedly became separated from the rest of his unit. The Pentagon has offered few details, prompting the Arizona senator John McCain to threaten the White House with a subpoena to elicit more information.
“Why did it take 48 hours to find him?” Wilson said. “Was he still alive? Was he kidnapped? I am distraught and so is the family. There are so many questions that should be answered.”