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Donald Trump promised the dad of a soldier killed in Afghanistan he would personally send him $25,000 - but the cheque never arrived.

Army Sergeant Dillon Baldridge, 22, was shot dead alongside two other American soldiers on June 10 by an Afghan police officer.

His father Chris Baldridge said Trump called him personally and offered the financial contribution and said that his staff would help set up an online fundraiser.

Mr Baldridge, a construction worker, had told him he was struggling and the $100,000 (£75,000) gratuity paid out by the military was going solely to his ex-wife.

But as of this week, Mr Bladridge said he has received nothing.

The President has been criticised for his treatment of bereaved military families after it emerged he told a pregnant widow her husband "knew what he signed up for" moments before she greeted his coffin on Tuesday.

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Trump has denied making the vile comment to Myeshia Johnson during a phone call, calling it a "total fabrication".

But the account first given by Democrat representative for Florida Frederica Wilson was later backed up the mother of Sgt. La David Johnson.

Now the Washington Post has spoken to the families of 13 Americans killed in combat since Trump became President in January.

About half had received phone calls, the rest had not heard from him, the Post reports.

(Image: Facebook)

Earlier this week, Trump claimed has has "called every family of somebody that's died, and it's the hardest call to make."

Mr Baldridge said he was shocked by Trump's offer.

"He said, 'I'm going to write you a cheque out of my personal account for $25,000, and I was just floored,” Mr Baldridge told the Post.

"I could not believe he was saying that, and I wish I had it recorded because the man did say this.

"He said, 'No other president has ever done something like this,' but he said, 'I'm going to do it'."

(Image: US Army)

The White House initially declined to comment when contacted by the Post.

After the story was published a spokesman said the cheque for Mr Baldridge has been sent out "recently".

CNN later reported that Trump had written and sent the cheque on Wednesday after the Post contacted the White House for comment.

Sergeant David Johnson, 25, was among four elite special forces killed when their patrol was ambushed by Islamic militants in Niger.

The US President has been criticised for failing to speak about the incident, amid increasing reports that the mission was flawed.

Trump failed to meet Sgt Johnson's coffin when it first arrived back on American soil on Saturday and went golfing instead.

(Image: CBS MIAMI) (Image: REUTERS)

And to add further insult, when he finally called the soldier's widow Myeshia Johnson on Tuesday he showed a distinct lack of compassion.

Instead Trump told her: "He knew what he signed up for... but when it happens it hurts anyway".

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Minutes later, Mrs Johnson, who is expecting the couple's third child in January, wept uncontrollably over her husband's coffin at Miami Airport.

Her six-year-old daughter stood by her stoically in highly emotional scenes.

(Image: CBS MIAMI) (Image: REUTERS)

Trump's vile comment to Mrs Johnson was revealed by Representative Frederica Wilson who was with her at the time.

"Yes, he said it," Wilson said.

"It's so insensitive. He should have not have said that.

"He shouldn't have said it."

(Image: REUTERS) (Image: REUTERS)

Trump's bungled handling of the Niger killings has become worse by the day.

He caused controversy on Monday by claiming that unlike past presidents including Obama he planned to personally call all of the families of the soldiers killed.

It was a blatant lie and relatives of fallen troops and previous White House staff members came forward to attest to it.

Delilia O'Malley tweeted to Trump: "When my brother was killed, Pres Bush listened while I screamed at him & then held me as I sobbed, you fat f***ing liar."

Critics claim Trump is trying to detract from increasing evidence that the patrol in Niger was a botched mission.

(Image: Facebook)

(Image: Facebook)

(Image: Facebook)

The Green Berets team was ambushed on October 4 by militants linked to ISIS armed with machine guns and grenade launchers.

Sgt Johnson's team reportedly didn't have air support and were in unarmoured pickup trucks.

It took two days to recover one of the American bodies.

US forces do not have a direct combat mission in Niger, but their assistance to its army does include intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance in their efforts to target violent extremist organizations.

US military deployments are on the rise in Africa.

In May, a U.S. Navy Seal killed in a raid on an al Shabaab militant compound in Somalia became the first US combat death in Africa since the 1993 “Black Hawk Down” disaster in Mogadishu.

(Image: REUTERS)

In Niger, Washington has deployed around 800 soldiers, runs a drone base in the capital Niamey, and is building a second in Agadez at a cost of around $100 million.

US Special Forces help local troops develop counter-terrorism skills to tackle threats from al Qaeda-linked groups, Nigeria’s Boko Haram and Islamists who have pledged allegiance to Islamic State.

"It’s a pretty broad mission with the government of Niger in order to increase their capability to stand alone and to prosecute violent extremists," the U.S. military’s Joint Staff Director, Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie, said on Thursday.