By MARK LINDSLEY
Staff Writer
Four American soldiers were killed by Islamic militants during an ambush in Niger on Oct. 4, according to Fox News. These were the first U.S. soldiers to be killed in action during President Donald Trump’s presidency.
Trump made the decision to call the families of the four soldiers a few days later, which soon became the focus of controversy.
Florida Rep. Frederica Wilson said that she was in the car with Myeshia Johnson when Trump called her to talk about the death of her husband, Army Sgt. La David Johnson.
Wilson said that Trump didn’t even seem to know the sergeant’s name and referred to him as Myeshia’s “guy,” according to CNN.
Wilson also said Trump’s wording was “insensitive” when he reportedly said to Johnson, “I’m sure he knew what he was signing up for, but when it happens, it hurts anyway.”
“You don’t sign up because you think you’re going to die,” Wilson said in an interview with CNN. “You sign up to serve your country. Call him by his name, Sgt. La David Johnson. He is not her ‘guy,’ he is her husband. And that is the part that hurt her the most.”
Trump responded on Twitter, saying, “I hope the Fake News Media keeps talking about Wacky Congresswoman Wilson in that she, as a representative, is killing the Democrat Party!”
White House Chief of Staff John Kelly also responded to Wilson’s claims.
“I just thought the selfless devotion that brings a man or woman to die on the battlefield – I just thought that might still be sacred,” Kelly said.
When asked about the comments, Wilson said, “I wasn’t ‘listening in.’ I was in a car where a call was being taken on a speakerphone. Don’t characterize it as that.”
Wilson then brought up another issue, saying, “I’m also concerned about [La David] and his last moments. I want to know why he was separated from the rest of the soldiers.”
Sgt. Johnson’s body wasn’t found until 48 hours after the ambush and was miles away from the other three bodies, according to CNN. The reasons for this are still unknown and are currently under investigation.
On Oct. 20, Natasha De Alencar, widow of Army Staff Sgt. Mark De Alencar, released a four minute video that showed the end of the conversation that she had with the president. In the video, Trump can be heard asking about Alencar’s children and repeating that her husband was a great man.
After posting the video, De Alencar said that Trump understood her loss.
