President Donald Trump was slammed on social media overnight for his comments to the grieving widow of a fallen U.S. serviceman.
“He knew what he signed up for ... but when it happens, it hurts anyway,” Trump told Myeshia Johnson, according to Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.).
Johnson’s husband, Army Sgt. La David Johnson, died in an ambush in Niger earlier this month.
Wilson told the Washington Post that Myeshia, who is pregnant with the couple’s third child, cried at the president’s comment. The congresswoman added that she wanted to take the phone and “curse him out.”
She wasn’t the only one. The reports caused #HeKnewWhatHeSignedUpFor to trend on Twitter:
I'm shaking with rage at this repulsive oaf as President. https://t.co/loyaSz0fdL
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) October 18, 2017
#HeKnewWhatHeSignedUpFor This "Presidency" is toxic to our country. People are sobbing in their living-rooms tonight. I'm one of them.
— Queencandice (@nurscandice) October 18, 2017
Trump to pregnant military widow on slain husband: "He knew what he signed up for."
— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) October 18, 2017
Detestable man. https://t.co/nXrOV27q5Y pic.twitter.com/0BbIlkH2kk
#HeKnewWhatHeSignedUpFor NONE of us that served knew, it is a remote thought that we keep pushed back in the farthest reaches of our brains
— Colleen SF (@cs_frenzy) October 18, 2017
Trump’s “respect” for military:
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) October 18, 2017
1. Trashed POWs
2. Viciously attacked gold star family
3. Told widow: “He knew what he signed up for”
La David Johnson was the one black Green Beret out of the 4 that died in Niger. Bigot Trump told his widow he “knew what he signed up for.” pic.twitter.com/lPdZk37oAY
— Scott Dworkin (@funder) October 18, 2017
Trump told widow of Sgt. Johnson, "he knew what he signed up for.” That’s far more disrespectful to our troops than kneeling during anthem.
— Kaivan Shroff (@KaivanShroff) October 18, 2017
This woman is pregnant. She has 2 kids & she just lost her husband. POTUS told her he knew what he signed up for pic.twitter.com/08ExED8jU8
— Michael Cohen (@speechboy71) October 18, 2017
Trump phones widow of fallen soldier and tells her he knew what he signed up for in 5 min call. Then as his body arrives in US he plays golf
— Lollipop (@LauraJardine2) October 18, 2017
Today Trump told the widow of a slain US sergeant that “he knew what he signed up for.”
— God (@TheGoodGodAbove) October 18, 2017
That's like the soldier equivalent of "She asked for it.”
Something Trump is comfortable saying to victims.
I know soldiers - I even married one. They signed up to protect their countries and us. Read this thread #HeKnewWhatHeSignedUpFor https://t.co/zy2kZhvnQA
— Tanalee Smith (@tanaleesmith) October 18, 2017
trump, to grieving widow of fallen soldier La David Johnson: "He knew what he signed up for."
— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) October 18, 2017
trumpers: is THAT what YOU signed up for? pic.twitter.com/iHxCXzkvFs
Trump to widow of Sgt. La David Johnson: "He knew what he signed up for"
— Craig M Fallick (@RealCMFallick) October 18, 2017
That is beneath the dignity of his office, even for him.
Trump response to:
— Pé Resists (@4everNeverTrump) October 18, 2017
—SEAL Ryan Owens's death: "[generals] lost Ryan"
—Green Beret La David Johnson's death: "he knew what he signed up for"
TRUMP: "He knew what he signed up for."*
— Jesse McLaren (@McJesse) October 18, 2017
*trust me I know. I dodged it.
On second thought, it might be best for everyone if Trump went back to golfing & ignoring Gold Star families again. https://t.co/dlxrx15JEL
— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) October 18, 2017
By Wednesday morning, a GoFundMe page set up for Johnson’s widow and their children had raised nearly $150,000, with many of the donations coming after Trump’s comments were made public.
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