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Trump Says Congresswoman 'Fabricated' What He Said To Soldier's Widow

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- President Donald Trump is disputing a report that he told the pregnant widow of a soldier killed in an ambush in Niger that her husband "knew what he signed up for.''

In a tweet Wednesday morning, Trump said, "Democrat Congresswoman totally fabricated what I said to the wife of a soldier who died in action (and I have proof). Sad!''

When asked about the "proof," the president told reporters "let her (Wilson) make her statement again and you'll find out.''

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said there are no recordings of the conversation.

"There were several people in the room from the administration that were on the call, including Chief of Staff Gen. John Kelly," Sanders said. "The president's call as accounted by multiple people in the room believe that the president was completely respectful, very sympathetic and expressed the condolences of himself and the rest of the country, and thanked the family for their service, commended them for having an American hero in their family and I don't know how you could take that any other way."

There is no word if an official White House transcript will be released.

Florida Rep. Frederica Wilson said she was in the car with Myeshia Johnson on Tuesday on the way to Miami International Airport to receive the body of Johnson's husband, Sgt. La David Johnson, when Trump called. Sgt. Johnson was among four Green Berets killed in an ambush in Niger earlier this month.

Wilson said she overheard part of Trump's conversation to Johnson, who had the president on speakerphone when he reached out.

"He said to the wife 'Well, I guess he knew what he was getting into.' How insensitive can you be?" Wilson said.

"When she actually hung up the phone, she looked at me and said, he didn't even know his name. Now that's the worst part," Wilson said. "I didn't hear the whole phone call, but I did hear him say, 'I'm sure he knew what he was signing up for but it still hurts.' And I asked them to let me speak with him and the master sergeant said, 'No, you can't speak with him.' And I said, 'But I want to speak with him' because I was livid when I heard that."

Myeshia Johnson told Wilson she couldn't remember everything that was said when asked about it later. The White House says Trump has called all four families to offer his condolences. The three other Gold Star families have not commented.

Trump said Wednesday before a meeting at the White House that he "didn't say it at all.'' He adds: "I had a very nice conversation with the woman, the wife, who sounded like a lovely woman. Did not say what the congresswoman said.''

Wilson stood by her statement, telling CNN on Wednesday that "the president evidently is lying, because what I said is true."

Sanders accused Wilson of politicizing the issue.

"I think it is appalling what the congresswoman has done in the way that she's politicized this issue, and the way that she is trying to make this about something that it isn't," Sanders said. "This is a president who loves our country very much, who has the greatest level of respect for men and women in uniform, and wanted to call and offer condolences to the family. And I think to try to create something from that --that the congresswoman is doing -- is frankly appalling and disgusting."

A White House official told CBS News "the president's conversations with the families of American heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice are private."

The serviceman's mother, Cowanda Jones-Johnson, told The Associated Press Wednesday that the congresswoman's account was correct. She said "not only did he disrespect my son,'' but also the family.

A day earlier, Trump said he has called the loved ones of all those killed in action during his presidency and claimed President Barack Obama and others before him didn't make calls to the families of fallen service people. Obama administration officials strongly deny that.

When questioned about that statement, Sanders said, "The president's made contact with all of the families that have been presented to him through the White House military office. All of the individuals that the president has been presented with through the proper protocol have been contacted through that process."

The U.S. has launched an investigation into the deadly ambush that claimed the four Special Forces soldiers. According to the military, U.S. and Niger forces in a joint patrol were leaving a meeting with tribal leaders when they were ambushed by 40-to-50 militants believed to be linked to the Islamic State group.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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