A Florida congresswoman said she overheard President Donald Trump tell the widow of a Miami Gardens native killed in an ambush while on patrol in Niger that her husband "must've known what he signed up for."
U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., called the comment about Sgt. La David T. Johnson's death insensitive, but Trump said Wednesday that Wilson fabricated what he said, and that he has proof. The president did not immediately offer it up.
Wilson fired back that she had her own proof, and her account was reportedly confirmed by Johnson's mother.
The disagreement comes after Trump, asked in a news conference why he'd taken so long to discuss four U.S. soldiers killed in West Africa, boasted that he likes to call the families of fallen soldiers, unlike Barack Obama and other presidents. Obama did call some Gold Star families and made extensive outreach to many. His former aides reacted angrily to Trump's comments. Former President George W. Bush often met privately with families of service members killed in action and wrote letters.
The Associated Press also spoke with families of two fallen soldiers who said Trump didn't call or write a letter of condolence, despite Trump saying Tuesday, "I think I've called every family of someone who's died."
Johnson, 25, was one of four U.S. Special Forces soldiers killed in Niger by Islamist militants on Oct. 4. The casket carrying his body reached South Florida on Tuesday.
Wilson, who represents the Miami Gardens district, told NBC6 she overheard Trump's comment on speakerphone while riding with Myeshia Johnson, the late soldier's pregnant widow.
"Sarcastically, he said: 'But, you know, he must've known what he signed up for,'" Wilson said. "How could you say that to a grieving widow? ... I couldn't believe, and he said it more than once. This man has no feelings for anyone. This is a young woman with child."
"Everyone knows when you go to war, you could possibly not come back alive, but you don't remind a grieving widow of that. That's so insensitive," Wilson added.
Trump took to Twitter Wednesday morning, saying, "Democrat Congresswoman totally fabricated what I said to the wife of a soldier who died in action (and I have proof). Sad!"
It wasn't immediately clear what proof he had. The president has previously implied he had tapes of conversations with James Comey, the FBI director he fired, only to reveal after weeks that he did not.
Trump Explains Why He Felt ‘Vindicated’
A White House official earlier told NBC: "The President’s conversations with the families of American heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice are private."
Asked about the tweet on CNN, Wilson said, "I have proof, too. This man is a sick man. He's cold-hearted and he feels no pity." She also didn't immediately provide her proof.
But Johnson's mother confirmed Wilson's account to The Washington Post on Wednesday, adding, "President Trump did disrespect my son and my daughter and also me and my husband." She did not elaborate.
Johnson's body reached the Miami International Airport for a brief ceremony before a funeral procession took the flag-draped casket to a funeral home in Hollywood.
When she heard Trump's comment, Wilson said Myeshia did not react.
"She didn't say anything. She simply listened to what he was saying," Wilson said.
A GoFundMe page was created Monday in Myeshia Johnson's name to benefit her and the sergeant's kids' college funds. As of Tuesday night, it had more than $120,000.
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