MIAMI (AP) - The Latest on President Donald Trump’s alleged comments to the widow of a slain soldier (all times local):
8:30 a.m.
A Florida congresswoman is standing by her statement that President Donald Trump told the widow of a soldier killed in an ambush in Niger that her husband “knew what he signed up for.”
Trump lashed out at Democratic Rep. Frederica Wilson on Wednesday, saying in a tweet that her description of his Tuesday phone call with Myeshia Johnson was “fabricated.”
But Wilson shot back on CNN that “the president evidently is lying, because what I said is true.” Wilson said she and others in the car with Johnson heard Trump on a speakerphone.
Sgt. La David Johnson was among four servicemen killed in the African nation of Niger earlier this month. They died when militants thought to be affiliated with the Islamic State group ambushed them while they were patrolling in unarmored trucks with Nigerien troops.
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7:45 a.m.
President Donald Trump is disputing a report that he told the widow of a soldier killed in an ambush in Niger that her husband “knew what he signed up for.”
Trump says on Twitter on Wednesday: “Democrat Congresswoman totally fabricated what I said to the wife of a soldier who died in action (and I have proof). Sad!” Trump did not specify what proof he had.
Rep. Frederica Wilson said she was in the car with Myeshia Johnson on Tuesday on the way to Miami International Airport to meet the body of Johnson’s husband, Sgt. La David Johnson, when Trump called.
Wilson said she overheard part of Trump’s conversation to Johnson, which was on speakerphone.
Sgt. Johnson was among four servicemen killed in an ambush in Niger earlier this month.
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2:55 a.m.
A Florida congresswoman says President Donald Trump told the widow of a slain soldier that he “knew what he signed up for.”
Rep. Frederica Wilson says she was in the car with Myeshia Johnson on the way to Miami International Airport to meet the body of Johnson’s husband, Sgt. La David Johnson, when Trump called. Wilson says she heard part of the conversation on speakerphone.
When asked by Miami station WPLG if she indeed heard Trump say that she answered: “Yeah, he said that. To me, that is something that you can say in a conversation, but you shouldn’t say that to a grieving widow.” She added: “That’s so insensitive.”
Sgt. Johnson was among four servicemen killed in an ambush in Niger earlier this month.
Wilson says she didn’t hear the entire conversation and Myeshia Johnson told her she couldn’t remember everything that was said.
The White House didn’t immediately comment.
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