It’s time to stop playing politics with fallen soldiers and Gold Star families, said John Kelly, the chief of staff to President Donald Trump and a retired Marine Corps general.

And at one point, Kelly — not known for his temper — called a member of Congress “an empty barrel” for sinking so low as to use a grieving wife to score points against Trump.

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Kelly came out to the White House press briefing room on Thursday afternoon to clear up the past few days of controversy over how Trump handles calls to the families of U.S. soldiers killed in the line of duty.

Trump said Monday he tries to call every family of a fallen soldier who has died since he took office on January 20. But the perceived criticism of former President Barack Obama for not calling every family led to unhinged reactions from pundits and Democrats.

The criticism of Trump hit a crescendo on Wednesday when Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) told the media that she listened in on a call to the young widow of Army Sgt. La David Johnson.

La David Johnson was killed by elements of al-Qaida on October 4 in Niger. His body arrived at Miami airport on Tuesday. Wilson went with the widow and family to the airport.

Wilson charged that the president was “insensitive” because he reportedly told Mrs. Johnson that the fallen soldier “knew what he signed up for … but when it happens, it hurts anyway.”

Wilson and members of the media noted Mrs. Johnson is pregnant with her third child.

Kelly said he advised the president not to make immediate calls to the families. But when Trump said he wanted to call families, Kelly advised Trump to note the soldiers knew they were taking a risk when they sign up for active duty, and when a solider dies, he or she is surrounded by “the best friends in the world.”

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“I was stunned when I came to work yesterday morning, and brokenhearted, at what I saw a member of Congress doing,” said Kelly, “a member of Congress who listened in on a phone call from the president of the United States to a young wife. And in his way, [Trump] tried to express [Johnson] was a brave man, a fallen hero.”

Kelly said Wilson’s use of the conversation was a new low, proving nothing is sacred anymore.

“It stuns me that a member of Congress would listen in on that conversation,” said Kelly. “I thought at least [conversations to Gold Star families] were sacred.”

Kelly said he was so offended by Wilson’s Wednesday remarks, he went to Arlington National Cemetery for a walk, to collect his thoughts.

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The White House press corps, partially culpable for the past few days of playing politics, appeared to be stunned into silence.

“I have never heard the briefing room so quiet as during that powerful statement from Gen. Kelly,” tweeted Sarah Westwood, a Washington Examiner reporter in the room.

Kelly went on to criticize Wilson for her behavior in the past when she claimed credit for a $20 million building for the FBI, said Kelly. The building was dedicated to two FBI agents killed in the course of duty.

At the ceremony, Wilson stood up and claimed credit in front of the families of the fallen agents.

“In the long tradition of empty barrels’ making the most noise,” said Kelly.

Kelly took a couple of questions, but insisted that the reporters asking questions at least know Gold Star families.