Thursday, October 19, 2017
WASHINGTON (AP) — White House chief of staff John Kelly delivered an extraordinary denunciation of a Democratic congresswoman today, accusing her of politicizing what he called a "sacred" presidential effort to console the grieving loved ones of a slain soldier.
Kelly, in an unexpected and emotional appearance in the White House briefing room, invoked the death of his own son, killed in Afghanistan in 2010, as he lashed out at Rep. Frederica Wilson of Florida, who earlier this week said President Donald Trump had been disrespectful in his condolence call to the family of Sgt. La David Johnson, who was killed during an ambush in Niger.
Kelly, speaking slowly and forcefully, said he was "heartbroken" that Wilson overheard the conversation and used it to attack the president.
"I was stunned when I came to work yesterday and brokenhearted at what I saw a member of Congress doing," Kelly said. "It stuns me. And I thought at least that was sacred."
Kelly absolved Trump of blame, suggesting that the president did the best he could in one of the most challenging aspects of his job.
"If you're not in the family, if you have never worn the uniform, if you have never been in combat, you can't imagine how to make that phone call," Kelly said.