Washington( CNN) How four US service members were killed in Niger — and President Donald Trump’s response to the attack — has left the federal government searching for answers.
Brennan slams Trump’s handling of Niger
11:49 a.m. The Pentagon identifies three soldiers who were killed in Niger: Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black of Washington state, Staff Sgt. Jeremiah W. Johnson of Ohio, and Staff Sgt. Dustin M. Wright of Georgia. Notably, they did not identify Sgt. La David T. Johnson of Florida, who had been unaccounted for. 3:00 p.m. Multiple US officials tell CNN the body of a US service member who went missing following a deadly ambush Wednesday in southwest Niger has been recovered. The soldier was subsequently identified as Johnson. The discovery of the missing US service member in a remote region of the northwestern African country by Nigerien troops came nearly 48 hours after he was first discovered to be missing in the wake of the attack. 3:05 p.m. Sanders responds to a question at the White House briefing about why there had been no response from Trump to the soldiers killed in Niger. “I issued a statement on behalf of the administration yesterday in the opening. Obviously, anytime one of the members of our great military are injured, wounded or killed in action, that is certainly something that we take very seriously. Our thoughts and prayers are with those individuals. We’re continuing to review and look into this. And as we have more details, we’ll certainly let you guys know.” Later in the briefing: Sanders is asked when the President was made aware that there was a fourth solider missing in action in Niger. She said that the notification happened on October 5, but could have to “get clarification on the specific timing of when that took place.” Pressed, Sanders said that Kelly maintained Trump “updated constantly on that situation as it evolved.” 5:43 p.m. The White House announced that Trump spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron on topics including the fight against terrorism in Africa. 1:42 p.m. The Defense Department identifies the fourth service member who died after a deadly ambush in Niger. Sgt. La David Johnson, 25, succumbed as a result of adversary flame, the Pentagon said. His body was recovered by US personnel Friday, they announced. US officials told CNN that his body was recovered in a remote area of the northwestern African country by Nigerian troops and came nearly 48 hours after he was first detected missing in the wake of the two attacks.
McCain: Niger answers may require a subpoena
11:21 a.m. A US defense official tells CNN that the Pentagon plans to officially identify Wednesday the Islamic State in the Greater Sahel( aka Islamic State in the Greater Sahara) as the terror group responsible for the October 4 ambush. The group was identified based on intelligence gathered by the US military.
Trump: Obama didn’t call slain troops’ families
2:06 p.m. “I felt very, very badly about that. I always feel badly. It is the toughest calls I have to make are the bellows where this happens, soldiers are killed, ” Trump says. He claimed that past chairwomen — including Barack Obama — hadn’t written or called the families of slain servicemen, though Obama spoke publicly during his term about his many interactions with the families of Americans killed in action. Later, Trump backtracked on the claim slightly, saying “I was told that he didn’t often.” 9:56 a.m. Trump, in a radio interview, suggests reporters ask his chief of staff whether President Barack Obama called him after his son was killed in action.( Kelly’s son, Robert, died when he stepped on a landmine in Afghanistan in 2010. Kelly, a retired four-star Marine general, was a lieutenant general at the time .) 12:05 p.m. The Defense Department announces they are conducting an initial review of the mission in Niger Afternoon: Johnson’s body is returned home to Miami, with the plane receiving a water gun salute as it arrived near the gate. The soldier’s widow, Myeisha Johnson, emotionally drapes her body over the casket as one of her children stands next to her. 5:52 p.m. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders corroborates Trump has called the families of the four soldiers killed in Niger. Around 10 p.m. Florida Rep. Frederica Wilson tells CNN affiliate WPLG that Trump told Johnson’s widow that the soldier “knew what he signed up for … but I guess it still hurt.” She said the call came shortly before Sgt. Johnson’s casket arrived.( Wilson was in the car, listening on speakerphone along with Johnson’s mother .) The White House declined to comment on Trump’s conversation.
Tough topics remain about Niger ambush
7:25 a.m. Trump tweets that Wilson “totally fabricated” what he told Myeisha Johnson. 10:30 a.m. Cowanda Jones-Johnson, who raised Johnson and also listened to the call, tells CNN Wilson’s account of the bellow was “very accurate.” 2:57 p.m. Sanders, pressed on information about the attack and whether the President is satisfied with what is known about it, declines to get into the specifics of the raid. “I believe they are still looking into the details of that. But I don’t suppose the President can ever be satisfied when there is a loss of life from men and women in uniform.” Sanders, pressed on information about the attack and whether the President is satisfied with what is known about it, declines to get into the specifics of the raid. “I believe they are still looking into the details of that. But I don’t think the President can ever be satisfied when there is a loss of life from men and women in uniform.” 3:07 p.m. CNN reports that a US private aviation contractor conducted evacuations of US& Nigerian troops after they were ambushed on October 4 in Niger, according to US Africa Command spokesperson Robyn Mack. The reporting raised questions about whether the French and contractor crews were in communication and certain they picked up all the personnel from the battlefield, given that Sgt LaDavid Johnson was left behind. CNN reports that a US private aviation contractor conducted evacuations of US& Nigerian troops after they were ambushed on October 4 in Niger, according to US Africa Command spokesperson Robyn Mack. The reporting raised questions about whether the French and contractor crews were in communication and certain they picked up all the personnel from the battlefield, given that Sgt LaDavid Johnson was left behind. 3:12 p.m. Sanders defends the fact that it took virtually 2 week for Trump to comment on the attack, saying that is a “protocol” for when the President talks about a military operation. 3:32 p.m. Republican Sen. John McCain, chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, tells reporters that he is asking for information about the Niger attack but isn’t getting the answers he requires. Asked directly if the Trump administration is being up front about what happened, McCain said, “no.” 3:47 p.m. Politico reports that a staffer at the National Security Council drafted a statement issued condolence for Trump that was never released. 5:56 p.m. A White House official tells CNN that the statement reported by Politico was crafted by the National Security Council, but when the White House press office received the information, staff decided it would be more powerful for Sanders to deliver this information from the rostrum in the briefing room