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Widow of fallen soldier hits out at Trump | Widow of fallen soldier hits out at Trump |
(35 minutes later) | |
The widow of a fallen US soldier says President Trump couldn't remember her husband's name during a controversial phone call. | The widow of a fallen US soldier says President Trump couldn't remember her husband's name during a controversial phone call. |
Myeshia Johnson, widow of Sgt La David Johnson, told ABC News the president's "stumbling" had "hurt her the most". | 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. | "..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 - claimed he had been insensitive. | |
Myeshia Johnson appeared to confirm Ms Wilson's claim that the president had said the soldier 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", she said. | |
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!" | |
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. |