The mother of Army Sgt. La David Terrence Johnson, killed in Niger this month told The Washington Post on Wednesday: "President Trump did disrespect my son and my daughter and also me and my husband." Cowanda Jones-Johnson, the mother of Johnson, made her comments after Rep. Frederica S. Wilson (D-Fla.) claimed Trump made Johnson's widow, Myeshia, cry.
"She was crying the whole time, and when she hung up the phone, she looked at me and said, 'He didn't even remember his name,'" said Wilson, who was in the car with Myeshia Johnson and Cowanda Jones-Johnson at the time of the call. "That's the hurting part."
Trump denied the allegations Wednesday. "Democrat Congresswoman totally fabricated what I said to the wife of a soldier who died in action (and I have proof). Sad!" he tweeted.
Jones-Johnson did not elaborate to the Post about how Trump disrespected her family, but she confirmed that Wilson's account of the conversation between the president and her daughter-in-law was accurate.
When asked for a comment about the phone call to Johnson, the White House said: "The president's conversations with the families of American heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice are private." Jeva Lange
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story mischaracterized Sgt. La David T. Johnson's Army role. It has since been corrected. We regret the error.