• Home
  • Mail
  • Flickr
  • Tumblr
  • News
  • Sports
  • Finance
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Answers
  • Groups
  • More
Yahoo
    • Skip to Navigation
    • Skip to Main Content
    • Skip to Related Content
    Follow Us
    • Video
    • Deals
    • Music
    • Good News
    • Recipes
    • Tickets

    Obama didn't call John Kelly when his Marine son died in action, White House official says

    MEGHAN KENEALLY and KATHERINE FAULDERS
    Good Morning AmericaOctober 17, 2017
    Reblog
    Share
    Tweet
    Share

    Adding to the continued drama over whether past presidents have called the families of fallen soldiers, a senior White House official told ABC News today that then-President Obama did not call John Kelly, now the White House chief of staff, after the death of his son in 2010.

    The retired general’s son, 1st Lt. Robert Kelly, died in action while serving with the Marines in Afghanistan.

    Kelly and his wife attended a breakfast for Gold Star families at the White House in 2011 and sat at first lady Michelle Obama's table, a person familiar with the breakfast told ABC News.

    Trump draws ire after falsely claiming 'most' past presidents didn't call families of fallen troops

    Key moments from President Trump's wide-ranging press conference with Mitch McConnell

    But the breakfast, scheduled to be hosted by the Obamas, was six months after the death of Kelly's son. It's unclear whether President Obama contacted Kelly about his son in any way prior to this.

    President Obama's office did not respond today to a request for comment on whether he contacted Kelly in another way.

    PHOTO: President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama greet family members of fallen soldiers after a Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Feb. 11, 2013. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)
    PHOTO: President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama greet family members of fallen soldiers after a Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Feb. 11, 2013. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)

    The White House comment comes a day after President Donald Trump made the unsubstantiated statement that "most" past presidents, including Obama, did not make calls to the families of fallen soldiers.

    "If you look at President Obama and other presidents, most of them didn't make calls, a lot of them didn't make calls. I like to call when it's appropriate, when I think I'm able to do it," Trump said at a news conference in the White House Rose Garden Monday.

    When asked about his comment that Obama didn't call the families of the fallen again later in the news conference, Trump said, "I don't know if he did. I was told that he didn't often. And a lot of presidents don't; they write letters. I do.”

    "President Obama I think probably did sometimes, and maybe sometimes he didn't. I don't know. That's what I was told. All I can do -- all I can do is ask my generals,” he added.

    “Other presidents did not call. They’d write letters. And some presidents didn't do anything. But I like the combination of -- I like, when I can, the combination of a call and also a letter.”

    PHOTO: President Clinton meets with James and Caroline Smith and Gail and Larry Joyce in the Oval Office, May 12, 1994. Their sons died after two helicopters were shot down in a mission in Somalia in 1993. (Courtesy William J. Clinton Presidential Library/NARA)
    PHOTO: President Clinton meets with James and Caroline Smith and Gail and Larry Joyce in the Oval Office, May 12, 1994. Their sons died after two helicopters were shot down in a mission in Somalia in 1993. (Courtesy William J. Clinton Presidential Library/NARA)

    The question came up during the news conference in reference to the four U.S. soldiers killed in an ambush in Niger.

    A former Obama official said Trump's Monday Rose Garden statement – and not specifically addressing the claim about Kelly -- was "unequivocally wrong."

    "President Obama engaged families of the fallen and wounded warriors throughout his presidency through calls, letters, visits to Section 60 at Arlington, visits to Walter Reed, visits to Dover, and regular meetings with Gold Star Families at the White House and across the country," the former Obama official said in a statement to ABC News.

    PHOTO: President Reagan consoles a mourner during a memorial service for servicemen killed and wounded in Lebanon and Grenada at the Marine Headquarters Building at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, Nov. 4, 1983. (Ronald Reagan Presidential Library )
    PHOTO: President Reagan consoles a mourner during a memorial service for servicemen killed and wounded in Lebanon and Grenada at the Marine Headquarters Building at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, Nov. 4, 1983. (Ronald Reagan Presidential Library )

    Freddy Ford, a spokesman for former President George W. Bush, also issued a statement noting his outreach to the families of fallen soldiers.

    "President Bush wrote all the families of the fallen, and called and/or met privately with hundreds if not thousands," Ford said in the statement, issued Monday.

    PHOTO: President George W. Bush stands with his arm around Jeff Hallal while speaking on the phone to his wife, Pam Hallal, Sept. 18, 2007 on the South Lawn of the White House. (Eric Draper/Courtesy George W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum)
    PHOTO: President George W. Bush stands with his arm around Jeff Hallal while speaking on the phone to his wife, Pam Hallal, Sept. 18, 2007 on the South Lawn of the White House. (Eric Draper/Courtesy George W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum)

    An aide to former President Bill Clinton also called the statement false. "He did call the families of fallen soldiers while in office," this official told ABC News.

    Reblog
    Share
    Tweet
    Share

    What to Read Next

    • Everything you need to know about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal wedding

      Good Morning America
    • Prince Harry names brother William as best man for his wedding to Meghan Markle

      Good Morning America
    • Kanye West and Donald Trump bond on Twitter

      Good Morning America
    • 'Double Dare' is coming back to Nickelodeon!

      Good Morning America
    • Jessica Chastain responds to actress' claim she wasn't invited to join Times Up movement

      Good Morning America
    • Hank Azaria says he's willing to retire his version of controversial 'Simpsons' character Apu

      Good Morning America
    • Trump Veteran Affairs nominee faces more allegations

      ABC News Videos
    • 'Avengers: Infinity War': 6 burning questions about the film

      Good Morning America
    • Trump attorney to plead 5th in Stormy Daniels lawsuit

      ABC News Videos
    • Stan Lee accused of sexual misconduct

      Good Morning America
    • What to know about Sarah Jessica Parker's bridal line with Gilt

      Good Morning America
    • Ex-cop arrested in 'Golden State Killer' case

      ABC News Videos
    • Princess Kate wows with hospital exit 7 hours after delivering 3rd child

      Good Morning America
    • Ali Wentworth shares secrets to her 16-year-marriage to George Stephanopoulos

      Good Morning America
    • Welcome to the Club House: A place where only men receive plastic surgery

      ABC News Videos
    • 'Avengers: Infinity War': What critics are saying

      Good Morning America
    • James, Arthur among the contenders in the name guessing game for Britain's new royal baby

      Good Morning America
    • Grandmas cook up classic foods from their homelands at this restaurant

      ABC News Videos
    • Laverne Cox is 'worried' about beauty lovers on Instagram: 'What is the work we're doing on the inside?'

      Good Morning America
    • Nursing home residents vacation together in Disney's Magic Kingdom

      ABC News Videos
    • 'GMA' Hot List: Dark chocolate may make you smarter, study suggests

      ABC News Videos
    • Why Don't We gives acoustic performance of 'Trust Fund Baby'

      ABC News Videos
    • Meek Mill released from prison

      ABC News Videos
    • 'Dancing With the Stars' couple welcomes twins

      ABC News Videos
    • Latest details on George H.W. Bush hospitalization

      ABC News Videos