White House Says There’s No Recording Of Trump’s Call With Soldier’s Widow

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

The White House on Wednesday said President Donald Trump did not record his phone call with the widow of a U.S. soldier killed in Niger, though he claimed to have “proof” that Rep. Frederica Wilson’s (D-FL) account of his remarks was not accurate.

“What proof does President Trump have when he says Congresswoman Wilson is not telling the truth?” a reporter asked White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders during her daily briefing. “Are there recordings of his phone call?”

“No, but there were several people in the room from the administration that were on the call, including the chief of staff, Gen. John Kelly,” Sanders replied.

Sanders later claimed “multiple people in the room believe that the President was completely respectful” and “very sympathetic.”

She did not specifically deny any points of Wilson’s account of Trump’s phrasing, and insisted that she was speaking “specifically to the sentiment” that he offered.

“I didn’t get into the details of a personal call because I don’t find that to be that appropriate,” Sanders said.

Trump on Wednesday again denied Wilson’s account that his remarks to Myeshia Johnson, Sgt. La David T. Johnson’s widow, were “horrible” and “insensitive.”

He incorrectly claimed that Wilson had walked her account back and told reporters, “Let her make her statement again and you’ll find out.”

“I still stand by my account of the call,” Wilson tweeted in response.

Latest Livewire
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: