Page 3 - ARUBA TODAY

A3
U.S. NEWS Friday 20 OctOber 2017
Kelly defends Trump’s call to war widow, raps congresswoman

aloud if President Barack nothing you can do to Kelly said the Defense De-
Obama had called the for- lighten the burden on these partment is investigating
mer Marine general after families.’” into the details of the Oct.
the death of Kelly’s son. But when Trump indicated 4 ambush that killed four
Kelly confirmed Thurs- he wanted to do so, Kel- American soldiers.
day that Obama had not ly revealed to him what Islamic militants on mo-
called, but he made clear General Joseph Dunford, torcycles brought rocket-
“that’s not a criticism.” now chairman of the Joint propelled grenades and
“That’s not a negative Chiefs of Staff, told him heavy machine guns, kill-
thing,” he said. “I don’t be- when Robert Kelly was ing the four and wound-
lieve all presidents call. I killed. Kelly recalled that ing others after shattering
believe they all write.” Dunford said his son “was the windows of unarmored
Kelly was not aware that doing exactly what he U.S. trucks. The attack hap-
Trump was going to reveal wanted to do when he was pened in a remote corner
anything he’d said about killed. He knew what he of Niger where Americans
the time after his son’s was getting into. He knew and local counterparts had
Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., talks to reporters, Wednesday, death, according to a per- what the possibilities were been meeting with com-
Oct. 18, 2017, in Miami Gardens, Fla.
(AP Photo/Alan Diaz) son familiar with the private because we’re at war.” munity leaders.
By JON LEMIRE the president. conversations but not au- And Kelly added that Dun- Kelly said Thursday that
CATHERINE LUCEY “I was stunned when I thorized to discuss them ford told him that “when he small groups of Americans
died, he was surrounded by are being sent overseas,
publicly.
Associated Press came to work yesterday
WASHINGTON (AP) — and brokenhearted at Kelly did say that when the best men on this earth, including to Niger, to help
train local people to fight
Trump took office, he urged his friends.
White House chief of staff what I saw a member of
John Kelly delivered an ex- Congress doing,” Kelly said. the president not to make That’s what the president the IS group “so that we
those family calls, saying tried to say to four families don’t have to send large
traordinary denunciation “It stuns me. And I thought
of a Democratic congress- at least that was sacred.” “I said to him, ‘Sir there’s the other day.” numbers of troops.”q
woman Thursday, accus- Kelly absolved Trump of
ing her of politicizing what blame, suggesting that the
he called a “sacred” presi- president did the best he
dential effort to console could in one of the most
the grieving loved ones of challenging aspects of his
a slain soldier. job.
Kelly, in an unexpected “If you’re not in the family,
and emotional appear- if you have never worn the
ance in the White House uniform, if you have never
briefing room, invoked the been in combat, you can’t
death of his own son, killed imagine how to make that
in Afghanistan in 2010, as phone call,” Kelly said.
he lashed out at Rep. Fred- Trump — who has frequent-
erica Wilson of Florida, who ly struggled showing em-
earlier this week said that pathy to those grieving, in-
President Donald Trump cluding those in Puerto Rico
had been disrespectful after the devastating hur-
in his condolence call to ricane — has emphatically
the family of Sgt. La David rejected claims that he was
Johnson, who was killed disrespectful. But he ignited
during an ambush in Niger. a storm of his own this week
Kelly, speaking slowly and when he boasted about his
forcefully, said he was commitment to calling ser-
“heartbroken” that Wilson vice members’ next of kin
overheard the conversa- and brought Kelly into the
tion and used it to attack controversy by wondering
GOP to muscle budget through

Senate as it eyes new tax cuts

By ANDREW TAYLOR would set the stage for tax
Associated Press legislation later this year
WASHINGTON (AP) — Re- that could pass through
publicans controlling the the Senate without fear of
Senate appear set to mus- a filibuster by Democrats
cle their $4 trillion budget — and add $1.5 trillion to
plan through the Senate the deficit over the next 10
late Thursday, turning back years.
successive attempts by President Donald Trump
Democrats to derail GOP weighed in Thursday, tell-
plans for a tax cut later this ing reporters that “I think
year. we have the votes for the
A pair of 52-47 votes kept budget which will be phase
the GOP budget blueprint one of our massive tax cuts
on track. The measure and reform.” q