CLEVELAND, Ohio -- American's knew what they were signing up for when Donald Trump was elected President of the United States.

It should come as no surprise that Trump mishandled a press question about the deaths of 4 soldiers in an ambush, a condolence call to one of the soldier's widow, and the ensuing controversy.

That Trump lacks tact should have been well known by now. This is a president who attacked the parents of Humayun Khan, who was killed in action. This is a Commander-in-Chief who belittled Sen. John McCain for being a Prisoner of War. This is the president who responded to hurricane victims in Puerto Rico by tossing them rolls of paper towels, like he was tossing out MAGA hats at one of his rallies.

After talking to one family in Puerto Rico, Trump told them to "have fun" as he proceeded on his tour.

Rep. Frederica Wilson has said Trump was insensitive to Myeshia Johnson, when he called to offer condolences for her husband being killed in Niger. "Basically, he said,'Well I guess he knew what he signed up for. But I guess it still hurt." Wilson said Trump also kept referring to Sgt. Johnson as "Your guy."

Wilson is a longtime friend of the Johnson family and was riding with them to the airport to meet Sgt. Johnson's body, when Trump called and it was placed on speaker phone. Her story has been verified by Sgt. Johnson's mother, who also heard the call.

It now appears Trump was trying to echo what Chief of Staff John Kelly had told him when Trump sought his advice about making condolence calls.

Kelly recounted for Trump how he learned of his Marine son's death from Gen. John Dunford.

According to Kelly, Dunford told him his son "knew what he was getting into by joining that 1 percent," of the nation who serve the military. "He knew what the possibilities were because we're at war. And when he died...he was surrounded by the best men on this earth, his friends." Kelly said "That's what the president tried to say to the four families the other day."

I'm sure Trump intended to convey the same message that was conveyed to Gen. Kelly. But clearly, something was lost in Trump's translation of that message from Gen Kelly English into Trumpspeak.

In the past, I've heard the line 'They knew what they were getting into..." more than once, about someone who was injured or killed in a high risk professions from being a race car driver to serving in the armed forces. But clearly, the widow and mother of Sgt. Johnson were not hearing it the same way.

There are multiple times and ways this controversy could have been avoided.

*Trump was only asked by a reporter why the The White House hadn't made a statement about the soldiers deaths in Niger. Unsolicited, Trump started talking about writing letters to the families of the soldiers and comparing himself to Obama.

All Trump need to do is express sympathy for the loss of life and then say they don't want to comment until they have full information.

* When Trump's call was placed on speaker phone. Rep. Wilson could have suggested it be taken off speaker phone out of respect that Trump thought it was a private call and it should be.

* After a reporter asked Wilson what Trump said. Rep. Wilson could have, and probably should have told the reporter that the conversation was intended to be private and she wanted to respect that.

* When Wilson and Johnson's mother said Trump had disrespected them, either Trump or the White House, should have made a public statement sating they regretted Trump's message being misconstrued, and then salute Sgt. Johnson's service and reaffirm the nations deepest sympathies.

Instead, Trump and the White House went into attack more, prolonging the controversy.

Parents of another soldier who lost their son, echoed something Chief of Staff Kelly said about his own experience. More meaningful than a letter or phone call from the president, the parents said, was getting letters and phone calls from their son's friends and fellow soldiers, who knew and fought alongside them.

My uncle was killed in WWII, filling in on another crews B-17, after he had far surpassed all his required flight missions. My father, who was in 8th grade at the time, has never forgotten the sights and sounds of the horrendous day the Western Telegram message came announcing his sister's husband was missing in action. He's never anxious to see a WWII moving for entertainment, because of it.

Every soldier knows what they're signing up for -- putting their life on the line, risking having their grieving spouse draped over their flag-draped casket -- for the security and liberty of their fellow Americans, who should always know and never forget what these brave men and women signed up for.