Trump Denies Telling Grieving Widow "He Knew What He Was Signing Up For"

Donald Trump

Repeating her allegation that Donald Trump told a grieving military widow that "he knew what he was signing up for," Congresswoman Frederica Wilson told the Washington Post today there were other witnesses in the car that overheard the comment.

The widow was Myeshia Johnson, whose husband Sgt. La David T. Johnson was gunned down along with three other soldiers in Niger on October 4.

Last night the news broke that Trump had told Johnson’s widow, Myeshia Johnson, “He knew what he was signing up for, but I guess it hurts anyway.” This was according to Wilson, who late yesterday told The Post that she had overheard the call on a speakerphone while riding in a limousine with Johnson when Trump called, and that this exchange made the widow cry. This is what Trump claims was “fabricated,” which now has reporters speculating that Trump may have a recording or an official transcript.

But Wilson said in our interview she is sticking by the story, and she asserted that there were other witnesses in the car, including the driver and the aunt and uncle of the deceased soldier. “I was not the only one in the car,” she said.

“Mr. Trump is crazy,” Wilson told me. “He’s a liar. He’s proven to be a liar.” She said she was more “concerned about the circumstances around his death” than about what Trump said.

When I pressed Wilson on whether she was sticking by her account that she heard Trump say, “he knew what he was signing up for,” she said “yes.”

When I reiterated that Trump claims to have proof otherwise, she said, “How about you go get that proof and call me back?”

Trump disputed the allegation:

Democrat Congresswoman totally fabricated what I said to the wife of a soldier who died in action (and I have proof). Sad!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2017

I stand my account of the call with @realDonaldTrump and was not the only one who heard and was dismayed by his insensitive remarks.

— Rep Frederica Wilson (@RepWilson) October 18, 2017

Today, the mother of Sgt. La David T. Johnson, Cowanda Jones-Johnson, corroborated Congresswoman Wilson's account confirming she was present for the call.

“President Trump did disrespect my son and my daughter and also me and my husband,” Jones-Johnson said.

Trump recently alleged that while he has called "every" fallen soldier during his presidency, President Obama and other past presidents didn't make the same efforts.

The Associated Press reports they have found two military families who say they never heard from Trump after their family member died serving the country. The mother of Army Spec. Etienne Moore, 22, said she received neither a call nor a letter from the president.