What Do Jotted Talking Points Say About Trumpâs Empathy?
Still  consoler in chief has been a role that the president has been slow and somewhat reluctant to embrace â especially in contrast to his predecessor. Images of Mr. Trump hurling rolls of paper towels at hurricane victims in Puerto Rico last year and grinning broadly for photographs with emergency medical workers from Parkland have illustrated the challenge.
 Mr. Trump  has said  he  believes that understanding and channeling the nationâs grief is a strong suit for  him  as president  assuring a reporter during  his  campaign that empathy âwill be one of the strongest things about  Trump .â
Ms. Fuentes  who was left with a piece of shrapnel lodged behind her right eye  said  Mr. Trump  had called the gunman a âsick puppyâ and said ââoh boy  oh boy  oh boy â like  seven times.â
The account of the call was reminiscent of the last time  Mr. Trump  drew public scrutiny for  his  reaction to a tragedy  with  his  private condolence call to Myeshia Johnson  the widow of Sgt. La David T. Johnson  one of four American soldiers killed in an attack in Niger.
In that case  in October  Ms. Johnson said she had been deeply offended by  Mr. Trump âs words and tone  saying that  he  had not referred to her husband by name  calling him only âyour guy â and had upset her by saying that Mr. Johnson âknew what he signed up for  but it hurts anyway.â
 Mr. Trump  quickly lashed out on Twitter  saying  he  had spoken respectfully to the widow.
Colleagues said Mr. Trumpâs notes on Wednesday were written by Hope Hicks   his  communications director and longtime aide  who had briefed the president along with Sarah Huckabee Sanders  the press secretary  before he attended the session.
In private beforehand   Mr. Trump  met in the Oval Office with Andrew Pollack  whose 18-year-old daughter  Meadow  was one of the 17 people killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last week.
â He  showed us nothing but love â Mr. Pollack said in an interview. â The guy  really cared  you know?  He  flew us in   he  had a bus waiting for us   he  made time for us.â
Mr. Pollack  who brought his wife  two sons and Meadowâs longtime boyfriend  said  Mr. Trump  signed  his  sonâs white and gold âMake America Great Againâ trucker hat and spoke at length with the family.  The president  insisted that  he  and  his  family  who had not planned to attend the listening session  accompany  him  through the iconic White House colonnade and into the event.
â He  took pictures of my daughter that we brought  and  he  said  he  was going to look at it every day â Mr. Pollack said.
â He  just said  âYou guys are coming with me â and we were just talking about life as we walked â Mr. Pollack said. â He âs a regular guy. I wouldnât have been there if I didnât think  he  cared.â
But another participant in the White House session  Samuel Zeif  an 18-year-old student at Stoneman Douglas High School who survived the shooting and spoke tearfully at the White House on Wednesday of the experience  said  Mr. Trump  had done little to comfort or console  him .
 He  said  he  had been particularly stung to see pictures of the notecard after it was over.
âEverything I said was directly from the heart  and  he  had to write down âI hear you ââ Mr. Zeif said in an interview. âHalf the time during that meeting  his arms were crossed â I kept wanting to say  âMr. President  uncross your arms.â To me  that is the international sign for closemindedness; itâs really just a big âno.ââ
Still  consoler in chief has been a role that the president has been slow and somewhat reluctant to embrace â especially in contrast to his predecessor. Images of Mr. Trump hurling rolls of paper towels at hurricane victims in Puerto Rico last year and grinning broadly for photographs with emergency medical workers from Parkland have illustrated the challenge.
  [TGT] has said   [TGT]   believes that understanding and channeling the nationâs grief is a strong suit for   [TGT]   as president  assuring a reporter during   [TGT]   campaign that empathy âwill be one of the strongest things about   [TGT]  .â
Ms. Fuentes  who was left with a piece of shrapnel lodged behind her right eye  said   [TGT] had called the gunman a âsick puppyâ and said ââoh boy  oh boy  oh boy â like  seven times.â
The account of the call was reminiscent of the last time   [TGT] drew public scrutiny for   [TGT]   reaction to a tragedy  with   [TGT]   private condolence call to Myeshia Johnson  the widow of Sgt. La David T. Johnson  one of four American soldiers killed in an attack in Niger.
In that case  in October  Ms. Johnson said she had been deeply offended by  Mr. Trump âs words and tone  saying that  he  had not referred to her husband by name  calling him only âyour guy â and had upset her by saying that Mr. Johnson âknew what he signed up for  but it hurts anyway.â
  [TGT] quickly lashed out on Twitter  saying   [TGT]   had spoken respectfully to the widow.
Colleagues said  [TGT]  notes on Wednesday were written by Hope Hicks    [TGT]   communications director and longtime aide  who had briefed the president along with Sarah Huckabee Sanders  the press secretary  before he attended the session.
In private beforehand    [TGT] met in the Oval Office with Andrew Pollack  whose 18-year-old daughter  Meadow  was one of the 17 people killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last week.
â  [TGT]   showed us nothing but love â Mr. Pollack said in an interview. â The guy  really cared  you know?  He  flew us in   he  had a bus waiting for us   he  made time for us.â
Mr. Pollack  who brought his wife  two sons and Meadowâs longtime boyfriend  said   [TGT] signed   [TGT]   sonâs white and gold âMake America Great Againâ trucker hat and spoke at length with the family.  The president  insisted that  he  and  his  family  who had not planned to attend the listening session  accompany  him  through the iconic White House colonnade and into the event.
â He  took pictures of my daughter that we brought  and  he  said  he  was going to look at it every day â Mr. Pollack said.
â He  just said  âYou guys are coming with me â and we were just talking about life as we walked â Mr. Pollack said. â He âs a regular guy. I wouldnât have been there if I didnât think  he  cared.â
But another participant in the White House session  Samuel Zeif  an 18-year-old student at Stoneman Douglas High School who survived the shooting and spoke tearfully at the White House on Wednesday of the experience  said  Mr. Trump  had done little to comfort or console  him .
 He  said  he  had been particularly stung to see pictures of the notecard after it was over.
âEverything I said was directly from the heart  and  he  had to write down âI hear you ââ Mr. Zeif said in an interview. âHalf the time during that meeting  his arms were crossed â I kept wanting to say  âMr. President  uncross your arms.â To me  that is the international sign for closemindedness; itâs really just a big âno.ââ