Trump Says He Has 'Proof' That the Story About His Repugnant Call to an Army Widow Is a Lie

By Katherine Krueger  |  October 18, 2017 | 12:21pm
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Welcome to WHAT NOW, a morning round-up of the news/fresh horrors that await you today.

After a Democratic congresswoman claimed that President Donald Trump made a pregnant Army widow cry with his insensitive call following her husband’s death in the line of duty, Trump responded on Wednesday morning to say the whole story was a lie.

Florida Rep. Frederica Wilson told local Miami news station WPLG that she was with Myeshia Johnson, the widow of U.S. Army Sgt. La David Johnson, who was recently killed in northwest Africa, when Trump reportedly called late Tuesday afternoon to tell her: “He knew what he signed up for…But when it happens it hurts anyway.”

Wilson and Johnson were traveling to the airport to receive Sgt. Johnson’s body when they got the call, according to the Miami Herald, which made Myeshia Johnson break down in tears.

Trump tweeted that the congresswoman is a liar and said he has “proof,” which some industrious soul will certainly try to track down today.

I, for one, can’t wait for this horrific ongoing news story about the president attacking the families of dead soldiers to last for the rest of the week.

UPDATE, 10:47 am ET: The Washington Post got in touch with Myeshia’s mother, Cowanda Jones-Johnson, who was also in the car when the president called.

“President Trump did disrespect my son and my daughter and also me and my husband,” she said. Jones-Johnson declined to elaborate further but responded “yes” when asked if Wilson’s account of the conversation was accurate.

WHAT ELSE?

  • Very relatedly: 46% of voters think the media fabricates news stories out of whole cloth, according to a depressing new Politico/Morning Consult poll. Unsurprisingly, that number goes way up when you look at just Republicans.
  • NFL owners won’t punish players who sit or kneel in protest during the national anthem.

WHAT’S NEXT?

  • Attorney General Jeff Sessions will testify today before the Senate Judiciary Committee. He’s expected to face questions about reversing Obama-era civil rights directives and about his knowledge of the Trump campaign’s contact with Russia.

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