Donald Trump hits back after grieving widow says president 'could not remember my husband's name'

Donald Trump has hit back at the pregnant widow of an American soldier killed in Niger, denying that he made her cry during a condolence call by forgetting her dead husband’s name.

It marks the latest chapter in an ugly political row, raising fresh criticism of the Mr Trump’s fitness to be commander in chief and awkward questions about how four men – including Sgt La David Johnson - died during what should have been a routine operation near the border with Mali.

The latest round of the president’s battle for public opinion with a grieving widow, began with Myeshia Johnson’s first interview since details of the telephone conversation erupted into view last week.

“The president said that he knew what he signed up for but it hurts anyway,” Mrs Johnson told ABC’s Good Morning America on Monday. “And it made me cry because I was very angry at the tone of his voice and how he said it.

“He couldn't remember my husband's name. The only way he could remember my husband's name was he told me he had my husband's report in front of him and that's when he actually said La David.”

Her words provoked an immediate response from Mr Trump, who denied her claims with a Twitter message.

“I had a very respectful conversation with the widow of Sgt La David Johnson,” he wrote, “and spoke his name from beginning, without hesitation!”

Sgt Johnson died on October 4 in Niger, where he was stationed as part of a mission to train and assist local troops in fighting armed militias linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State State of Iraq and the Levant.

They died in an ambush despite believing there was little risk of attack.

The attack was propelled into the spotlight only last week. A member of Congress, Frederica Wilson, released details of the presidential phone call and said the president had been insensitive.

Mr Trump dismissed her as “wacky” and of fabricating her accusations.

Mrs Johnson said Ms Wilson was virtually a part of the family and had not lied about the conversation.

“Whatever Ms. Wilson said was not fabricated,” she said. “What she said was 100 percent correct.”

Asked if she had anything to say to Mr Trump now, she added: "No, I don't have nothing to say to him." 

She also spoke of her sadness at not being allowed to see her husband’s body before he was buried on Saturday.

“I need to see him so I will know that that is my husband,” she said. “They won't show me a finger, a hand. I know my husband's body from head to toe. And they won't let me see anything. I don't know what's in that box. It could be empty for all I know. But I need to see my husband. I haven't seen him since he came home."