After Video Refutes Kelly’s Charges, Congresswoman Raises Issue of Race
In an interview with Fox Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo, Mr. Trump said he found Ms. Wilson’s criticism of Mr. Kelly “sickening.” The president called his chief of staff “a very elegant man,”
and added that Mr. Kelly “is a tough, strong four-star Marine.”
Mr. Kelly, Mr. Trump said, was offended that Ms. Wilson publicized what the president
said was a “very nice” call to the widow of a soldier killed in action in Niger.
The issue exploded this week when Ms. Wilson went public to say
that in a condolence call to Ms. Johnson, Mr. Trump had said that Sergeant Johnson “knew what he signed up for.”
Mr. Trump flatly declared that Ms. Wilson’s account was fabricated,
but on Thursday, when Mr. Kelly defended the president, he did not reject her account.
WASHINGTON — Video of a 2015 speech delivered by Representative Frederica S. Wilson revealed Friday
that John F. Kelly, the White House chief of staff, misrepresented her remarks when he accused her of bragging about securing $20 million for a South Florida F. B.I.
“There’s all this noise around the one black guy who died in Niger — no one is even talking about the other guys —
and now they’re going after this black congresswoman,” said Mr. Jordan, whose father died in the 1960s while serving as a sergeant in the Air Force.
“As General Kelly pointed out, if you’re able to make a sacred act like honoring American heroes about yourself, you’re an empty barrel.”
Ms. Sanders escalated the messaging a few hours later: “As we say in the South: all hat, no cattle,” she said.