WASHINGTON — The widow of one of four soldiers killed in Niger went on television on Monday to criticize President Trump for how he spoke to her during a condolence call last week, saying the president blundered through the conversation and only deepened her grief because he did not seem to know her husband’s name.
Myeshia Johnson, the widow of Sgt. La David T. Johnson, who was killedearly this month, spoke in an interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos and also offered words of support for Representative Frederica S. Wilson, Democrat of Florida, who has been feuding with both Mr. Trump and John F. Kelly, the White House chief of staff, over the call.
“The president said, ‘He knew what he signed up for,’” Ms. Johnson said during the interview. “But, it hurts anyway. It made me cry because I was angry at the tone in his voice and how he said it.” She added that Mr. Trump’s memory seemed to falter during their exchange.
“He couldn’t remember my husband’s name,” Ms. Johnson said. “The only way he remembered my husband’s name is because 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. And that’s what hurt me the most. If my husband is out here fighting for our country, and he risked his life for our country, why can’t you remember his name?
She went on and said, “Whatever Ms. Wilson said was not fabricated. What she said was 100 percent correct.”
After the interview aired, Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter that he had a “respectful conversation” with Ms. Johnson, disagreeing that he stumbled over Sergeant Johnson’s name.
She did, however, say that she was desperate to know more details about the disappearance and death of her husband, and described him as “caring” and a “great soldier.” The couple had known each other since she was 6 years old.
“I want to know why it took them 48 hours to find my husband,” Ms. Johnson said.
The back and forth began after Mr. Johnson and three Americans were killed in an Oct. 4 ambush in Niger. The president called Ms. Johnson and said that her husband “knew what he signed up for,” and referred to the soldier as “your guy.” Ms. Wilson, a longtime family friend who accompanied Ms. Johnson and heard the call, recounted what the president said to several reporters and lamented that the president had offended the young widow, who was upset that the president did not seem to know Sergeant Johnson’s name.
Mr. Trump angrily disputed that account, saying that he “had a very nice conversation with the woman, with the wife, who sounded like a lovely woman.” The White House then accused Ms. Wilson, a well-known figure in South Florida for her work with local communities and for often donning decorative hats, of politicizing a sacred ritual after Mr. Trump initially said she “fabricated” it.
In a White House briefing, Mr. Kelly harshly criticized Ms. Wilson, who had known Sergeant Johnson’s family since he was in elementary school, for listening to the call. Mr. Kelly called the lawmaker an “empty barrel” and also misrepresented her remarks when he accused her of bragging about securing $20 million for an F.B.I. building in South Florida and twisting President Barack Obama’s arm.
Video of Ms. Wilson’s speech, released by The Sun Sentinel, a newspaper in South Florida, showed that during her nine-minute speech, Ms. Wilson never took credit for getting the money for the building, only for helping pass legislation to name the building after two fallen federal agents. She also never mentioned pleading with Mr. Obama, and she acknowledged the help of several Republicans, including John A. Boehner, then the House speaker; Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart and Carlos Curbelo; and Senator Marco Rubio.
On Monday, Ms. Johnson also pushed back against Mr. Kelly’s criticism of Ms. Wilson for hearing the call. The widow said she had asked the military official accompanying her family to put the call from President Trump on speakerphone so others could also hear his words.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary, said that Mr. Kelly “absolutely” stands by his Thursday remarks.
“General Kelly said he was ‘stunned’ that Representative Wilson made comments at a building dedication honoring slain F.B.I. agents about her own actions in Congress, including lobbying former President Obama on legislation,” Ms. Sanders said in a statement. “As General Kelly pointed out, if you’re able to make a sacred act like honoring American heroes about yourself, you’re an empty barrel.”
Over the weekend, the dispute continued with Mr. Trump posting Sunday on Twitter, “Wacky Congresswoman Wilson is the gift that keeps on giving for the Republican Party, a disaster for Dems. You watch her in action & vote R!”
Several women from the Congressional Black Caucus also wrote a letter demanding an apology from Mr. Kelly.
“We were appalled by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly’s statements where he called Congresswoman Wilson an ‘empty barrel’ and accused her of taking credit for securing funding for a new F.B.I. Building,” the lawmakers said.
“General Kelly’s comments are reprehensible,” the letter stated. “Congresswoman Wilson’s integrity and credibility should not be challenged or undermined by such blatant lies. We, the women of the Congressional Black Caucus, proudly stand with Congresswoman Wilson and demand that General Kelly apologize to her without delay and take responsibility for his reckless and false statements.”
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