- The Washington Times - Tuesday, October 17, 2017

President Trump spoke Tuesday to the families of four U.S. service members who were killed in action in Niger.

“He offered condolences on behalf of a grateful nation and assured them their family’s extraordinary sacrifice to the country will never be forgotten,” said press secretary Sarah Sanders.

The Special Forces soldiers were killed in an ambush by Islamist militants on Oct. 4 in southwestern Niger.

Mr. Trump, asked Monday by a reporter why he hadn’t commented on the deaths, said he had written letters to the families last weekend. He went on to say that President Obama and some of his other predecessors “didn’t make calls” to families of the fallen, drawing a heated rebuke from former Obama aides who said Mr. Obama did indeed call such families to express condolences.

• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.

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