Trump said Kelly was 'so offended' that Rep. Wilson was listening to Trump's call with Gold Star widow
Alex Brandon/AP
- On Thursday, White House chief of staff John Kelly delivered an emotional speech at the daily press briefing.
- Kelly admonished Rep. Frederica Wilson for listening in on President Donald Trump's condolence call with the widow of a US soldier killed in Niger.
- Trump told Fox's Maria Bartiromo that Kelly was "so offended" at Wilson for listening in on the call.
President Donald Trump said White House chief of staff John Kelly was "offended" that a Congresswoman was listening to the commander in chief's condolence call to the widow of one of the four US soldiers in Niger.
The revelation is the latest in this week's swirling controversy surrounding Trump, Rep. Frederica Wilson of Florida, and a Gold Star family.
Trump made the comment during an interview with Fox Business Network's Maria Bartiromo, who asked if he expected Kelly to make such an emotional appeal on his behalf during the daily press briefing on Thursday.
"He was so offended, because he was in the room when I made the call and so were other people," Trump said. "And the call was a very nice call. He was so offended that a woman would be - that somebody would be listening to that call."
On Thursday, Kelly condemned Wilson, the congresswoman who represents the district of Sgt. La David Johnson, for listening in on a phone call he believed was a "sacred" moment.
Wilson, a family friend who was reportedly with the widow inside a car when the call came through, listened through the speakerphone.
"It stuns me that a member of Congress would have listened in to that conversation," Kelly said on Thursday, referring to Wilson. "Absolutely stuns me. And I thought at least that was sacred."
Trump told Bartiromo that Kelly and other staffers were in the room for the call, yet he was shocked that Wilson was listening.
"He actually couldn't believe it," Trump said of Kelly. "Actually, he said to me 'Sir, this is not acceptable. This is really not.'"
Following Kelly's press conference, Wilson and the White House have exchanged a series of rebukes, both denying each other's claims. Trump, on Thursday evening, tweeted: "The Fake News is going crazy with wacky Congresswoman Wilson(D), who was SECRETLY on a very personal call, and gave a total lie on content!"
Trump's interview with Bartiromo will air on FOX Business Network's "Mornings with Maria" at 6 a.m. ET and FOX News Channel's "Sunday Morning Futures" at 10 a.m. ET.
Watch a clip below:
Trump says Kelly, who listened in on Trump's condolence call, was "so offended" Wilson listened in (even though the widow put on speaker). pic.twitter.com/qKjnVzPewq
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