President Donald Trump's son, Eric, says the criticism his father has received over his call with a Florida Gold Star widow is "disgusting," and his wife accused the media of not doing its job when reporting what the president had said.
"I think it's disgusting," Eric Trump told Fox News' "Fox & Friends" co-host Ainsley Earhardt during an interview recorded Thursday at the home he shares with wife Lara Lea and their new baby. "I think it shows the absolute worst of politics. Here is the president of the United States calling to express his condolences on behalf of an incredibly grateful nation and people turned it into a political item."
Meanwhile, Eric Trump's wife agreed, in the interview airing Friday, after Earhardt mentioned that she'd seen transcripts of the call his father made to Myeshia Johnson, the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson, a Green Beret who was killed along with three fellow Green Berets in an ISIS ambush in Niger. She also insisted that what's being reported isn't what was said.
"Whenever you read exactly what he said, he said your husband went into battle, you know, knowing that he could be injured, knowing that he could be killed and he still did it because he loves his country and he did it for the American people," she said. "I can't think of a better way, quite frankly, to express my gratitude than by saying something like that. Then they leave off the last part of what was said. This man is a hero. There are no two ways about it. My father-in-law is the biggest champion of the military there is. We all in this country love and respect our military and no one more so than the president."
Eric Trump also responded to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly's strong words about the controversy, noting that the retired four-star general had a son killed in Afghanistan.
"I think he probably more so than any person in the world understands that true pain and sorrow and what the person on the other end of the telephone was going through at that very moment," said Eric Trump. "I'm sure he had many very similar moments, you know, in his own life, and he was upset. He was upset when my father was criticized. I think he came to my father's defense in a very big way. I think he thought it was disgusting."
The Trumps also commented on other issues facing the president's administration and in the nation, including on the continuing controversy over NFL players kneeling when the national anthem is performed.
"My reaction is you stand for the flag," Eric Trump said. "That is a sacred minute where the best of America is showcased and celebrated ... we have so much to thank God for. If you don't stand during that period of time, personally and I'm not speaking for my father; I'm disappointed."
He also commented about the reports linking the Clinton Foundation to a deal with Russia for uranium supplies.
"You give 20 percent of the United States stockpile to Russia and the Clinton Foundation gets $145 million and they call everybody on Capitol Hill to testify about absolutely nothing as it pertains to the campaign, because there was zero collusion," he said. "It's a disgrace.And it really shows how one-sided our government can be."