The mother of a South Florida Army sergeant killed in Niger stood by a Florida congresswoman who said President Donald Trump made insensitive remarks about the soldier and accused him of showing "disrespect" to his loved ones.

  • Florida congresswoman: Trump said fallen soldier knew what he signed up for
  • Sgt. La David Johnson, 3 other troops killed Oct. 4 in Niger
  • Johnson's mother confirmed congresswoman's story

Democratic Rep. Frederica Wilson said Trump called the grieving widow of a fallen soldier from South Florida and shared "insensitive" remarks.

“He never said the word 'hero.' He said to the wife, 'Well, I guess he knew what he signed up for.' How insensitive can you be? My heart aches for the family of the young wife.”

Wilson said she was in the car with Myeshia Johnson on Tuesday on the way to Miami International Airport to meet the body of Johnson’s husband, Sgt. La David Johnson, when Trump called.

When asked by Miami station WPLG whether she indeed heard Trump say that she answered: “Yeah, he said that. To me, that is something that you can say in a conversation, but you shouldn’t say that to a grieving widow.” She added: “That’s so insensitive.”

Trump accused Wilson of lying in a tweet Wednesday morning.

However, Cowanda Jones-Johnson, mother of Sgt. Johnson, said Wilson was not lying.

"Yes the statement is true," Jones-Johnson told the Associated Press Wednesday. "I was in the car and I heard the full conversation. Not only did he disrespect my son, but he disrespected" his wife and family.

Johnson, 25, was among four servicemen killed in the African nation of Niger earlier this month. They died when militants thought to be affiliated with the Islamic State group ambushed them while they were patrolling in unarmored trucks with Nigerien troops.

Late Tuesday, the body of the Green Beret arrived at Miami International Airport. CNN reported that it reached out to the White House, who told them that the president’s conversations with these families are private.

The president responded Wednesday morning on Twitter: "Democrat Congresswoman totally fabricated what I said to the wife of a soldier who died in action (and I have proof). Sad!"

Wilson shot back on CNN that "the president evidently is lying, because what I said is true." Wilson said she and others in the car with Johnson heard Trump. 

Wilson said she did not hear the entire conversation and Myeshia Johnson told her she could not remember everything that was said when asked it about it later.