After her Army son died in an armoured vehicle rollover in Syria in May, Sheila Murphy says, she got no call or letter from President Donald Trump, even as she waited months for his condolences and wrote him that 香蕉视频直播渟ome days I don香蕉视频直播檛 want to live.香蕉视频直播�

In contrast, Trump called to comfort Eddie and Aldene Lee about 10 days after their Army son was killed in an explosion while on patrol in Iraq in April. 香蕉视频直播淟ovely young man,香蕉视频直播� Trump said, according to Aldene. She thought that was a beautiful word to hear about her boy, 香蕉视频直播渓ovely.香蕉视频直播�

Like presidents before him, Trump has made personal contact with some families of the fallen, not all. What香蕉视频直播檚 different is that Trump, alone among them, has picked a political fight over who香蕉视频直播檚 done better to honour the war dead and their families.

He placed himself at the top of this pantheon, boasting Tuesday that 香蕉视频直播淚 think I香蕉视频直播檝e called every family of someone who香蕉视频直播檚 died香蕉视频直播� while past presidents didn香蕉视频直播檛 place such calls.

But The Associated Press found relatives of two soldiers who died overseas during Trump香蕉视频直播檚 presidency who said they never received a call or a letter from him, as well as relatives of a third who did not get a call. And proof is plentiful that Barack Obama and George W. Bush 香蕉视频直播� saddled with far more combat casualties than the roughly two dozen so far under Trump, took painstaking steps to write, call or meet bereaved military families.

The subject arose because nearly two weeks passed before Trump called the families of four U.S. soldiers who were killed in Niger nearly two weeks ago. He made the calls Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Rep. Frederica Wilson said late Tuesday that Trump told the widow of a slain soldier that he 香蕉视频直播渒new what he signed up for.香蕉视频直播� Early Wednesday, the president called Wilson香蕉视频直播檚 version of the conversation a fabrication.

The Florida Democrat said she was in the car with Myeshia Johnson on the way to Miami International Airport to meet the body of Johnson香蕉视频直播檚 husband, Sgt. La David Johnson, when Trump called. Wilson says she heard part of the conversation on speakerphone.

I stand my account of the call with and was not the only one who heard and was dismayed by his insensitive remarks.

香蕉视频直播� Rep Frederica Wilson (@RepWilson)

When asked by Miami station WPLG if she indeed heard Trump say that she answered: 香蕉视频直播淵eah, he said that. To me, that is something that you can say in a conversation, but you shouldn香蕉视频直播檛 say that to a grieving widow.香蕉视频直播� She added: 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 so insensitive.香蕉视频直播�

Trump took strong issue with that recounting early Wednesday.

香蕉视频直播淒emocrat Congresswoman totally fabricated what I said to the wife of a soldier who died in action (and I have proof). Sad!香蕉视频直播� he said on Twitter.

Democrat Congresswoman totally fabricated what I said to the wife of a soldier who died in action (and I have proof). Sad!

香蕉视频直播� Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)

Sgt. Johnson was among four servicemen killed in the Niger ambush.

Wilson said that she didn香蕉视频直播檛 hear the entire conversation and Myeshia Johnson told her she couldn香蕉视频直播檛 remember everything that was said.

The White House didn香蕉视频直播檛 immediately comment

Trump香蕉视频直播檚 delay in publicly discussing the men lost at Niger did not appear to be extraordinary, judging from past examples, but his politicization of the matter is. He went so far Tuesday as to cite the death of chief of staff John Kelly香蕉视频直播檚 son in Afghanistan to question whether Obama had properly honoured the war dead.

Kelly was a Marine general under Obama when his Marine son Robert died in 2010. 香蕉视频直播淵ou could ask General Kelly, did he get a call from Obama?香蕉视频直播� Trump said on Fox News radio.

Democrats and some former government officials were livid, accusing Trump of 香蕉视频直播渋nane cruelty香蕉视频直播� and a 香蕉视频直播渟ick game.香蕉视频直播�

Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, an Iraq veteran who lost both legs when her helicopter was attacked, said: 香蕉视频直播淚 just wish that this commander in chief would stop using Gold Star families as pawns in whatever sick game he香蕉视频直播檚 trying to play here.香蕉视频直播�

Powerful words from a true American hero who knows what being a real leader & patriot is all about,

香蕉视频直播� Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth)

For their part, Gold Star families, which have lost members in wartime, told AP of acts of intimate kindness from Obama and Bush when those commanders in chief consoled them.

Trump initially claimed that only he among presidents made sure to call families. Obama may have done so on occasion, he said, but 香蕉视频直播渙ther presidents did not call.香蕉视频直播�

He equivocated Tuesday as the record made plain that his characterization was false. 香蕉视频直播淚 don香蕉视频直播檛 know,香蕉视频直播� he said of past calls. But he said his own practice was to call all families of the war dead.

But that hasn香蕉视频直播檛 happened:

No White House protocol demands that presidents speak or meet with the families of Americans killed in action 香蕉视频直播� an impossible task in a war香蕉视频直播檚 bloodiest stages. But they often do.

Altogether some 6,900 Americans have been killed in overseas wars since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the overwhelming majority under Bush and Obama.

Despite the much heavier toll on his watch 香蕉视频直播� more than 800 dead each year from 2004 through 2007 香蕉视频直播� Bush wrote to all bereaved military families and met or spoke with hundreds if not thousands, said his spokesman, Freddy Ford.

Veterans groups said they had no quarrel with how presidents have recognized the fallen or their families.

香蕉视频直播淚 don香蕉视频直播檛 think there is any president I know of who hasn香蕉视频直播檛 called families,香蕉视频直播� said Rick Weidman, co-founder and executive director of Vietnam Veterans of America. 香蕉视频直播淧resident Obama called often and President Bush called often. They also made regular visits to Walter Reed and Bethesda Medical Center, going in the evenings and on Saturdays.香蕉视频直播�

___

Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia. Jonathan Drew in Raleigh, North Carolina, Kristen de Groot in Philadelphia, Jennifer McDermott in Providence, Rhode Island, Michelle Price in Salt Lake City, and Hope Yen and Robert Burns in Washington contributed to this report.

Calvin Woodward And Russ Bynum, The Associated Press