Trump says he did not 'specifically' authorize Niger mission that killed four U.S. soldiers

WASHINGTON – President Trump on Wednesday said he did not "specifically" authorize the Niger mission that killed four U.S. soldiers earlier this month. 

Asked by reporters whether he gave the go-ahead for the operation, Trump said: "No I didn’t. Not specifically.”

While it's unusual for presidents to distance themselves from military operations that result in loss of American life, Trump indicated he supports the overall mission in the west African nation. 

"I gave them authority to do what’s right so that we win. That’s the authority they have," he said. "I want to win. And we’re going to win and we’re beating ISIS very badly. You look at what’s happening in the Middle East."

The Pentagon's top general said earlier this week that the Army special forces combat patrol in Niger did not anticipate resistance and called for air support one hour after being attacked by ISIS-affiliated militants. 

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French fighter jets arrived to support the troops on Oct. 4, but four U.S. soldiers were already dead, Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a briefing at the Pentagon on Monday. The 12-member U.S. patrol did not anticipate being attacked and U.S. rules for troops in the area prohibit missions when attacks are likely, he said. 

Dunford identified the attackers as an “ISIS-affiliated” group and said the attackers used small arms, rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns. The Pentagon is investigating whether the mission changed after the patrol went out and whether the troops were adequately equipped, Dunford said. 

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Wednesday, requested a briefing on the Niger attack. 

“Nearly three weeks after the attack, many questions remain regarding the purpose of the operation, the circumstances surrounding the ambush, and the military response to the tragedy,” Chairman Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., and ranking member Elijah Cummings, D-Md., wrote in a letter to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

The Niger attack has become more controversial in the last week as President Trump falsely claimed that previous presidents had not made condolence calls to the families of fallen troops. After that claim was debunked, and Trump walked back some of his comments, he called the widow of Sgt. LaDavid Johnson, who was killed in the attack. 

That call, which was overhead by Rep. Frederica Wilson, a Florida Democrat and friend of the family, led to criticisms by Wilson and Johnson's widow, Myeshia, that Trump was disrespectful to Johnson and his family.

– Jessica Estepa contributed