Minutes before the body of Sgt. La David T. Johnson arrived at Miami International Airport on Tuesday, President Donald Trump called the fallen soldier's wife. Johnson, who was killed in an ambush in Niger earlier this month, was the father of two young girls and his wife is pregnant with the couple's third child.

President Trump, who waited almost two weeks to reach out the families of the four soldiers killed in Niger, reportedly called Sgt. Johnson's wife, Myeshia, when she was en route to the airport where her husband's casket arrived via Delta Airlines.

According to the Miami Herald, U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Miami Gardens) was in the car with Myeshia when President Trump called. He reportedly told the deceased soldier's pregnant wife that her husband knew what he "signed up for."

Trump refutes Wilson's claims

Shortly after Rep. Wilson shared Trump's comments with the media, word spread quickly on social media about Trump's shocking and insensitive comments. It didn't take long for Trump to refute Rep. Wilson's claim, tweeting that her story was "totally fabricated."

However, ABC News reports that even Sgt. Johnson's mother confirmed the president told her daughter-in-law that Johnson knew what he "signed up for" when he entered the military.

Support for the fallen soldier's family

On a positive note, the controversy about Trump's phone call to Sgt. Johnson's wife has raised awareness about the fallen's soldier's family.

People across the country have been making donations to a college fund for Johnson's two daughters, ages two and six, and one unborn child.

A GoFundMe account was set up the day before Sgt. La David Johnson's remains arrived in a flag-draped coffin at Miami International Airport. However, it wasn't until President Trump's controversial phone call made headlines that the donations started pouring in.

Two days after the Sgt. La David T. Johnson Scholarship fund was set up on GoFundMe, the online fundraiser has surpassed $506,000, surpassing the fundraiser's initial goal which has now been increased to $1 million.

According to a statement on the fundraising site, the donations are earmarked for future college expenses for Sgt. Johnson's children. Judging from the frequency of the donations, it won't be long before the GoFundMe account reaches its revised $1 million goal.

The Miami Herald reports that Sgt. Johnson will be laid to rest on October 21 at the Hollywood Memorial Gardens in Hollywood, Florida.
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