‘I Was Viciously Attacked’: Trump Continues Battle With Muslim American Parents of Fallen US Soldier

Trump Doubles Down, Strikes Back at Family Who Lost Their Son

Perhaps the most-discussed part of the Democratic National Convention this past week was the speech delivered by Khizr Khan, a proud Muslim American, who lost his son, a U.S. soldier, to a bomb in Iraq. Khan’s speech, which we know now was not only not written by a speechwriter or read from a teleprompter, but was not written at all – it was delivered from his heart, and certainly felt that way.

Khan blasted Donald Trump, asking if the Republican nominee for president had even read the Constitution, and offering him his pocket copy, which he removed from his jacket.

And, of course, Trump went on the offensive, first attacking Ghazala Khan, Khizr’s wife who stood by her husband on stage, silent. The brash billionaire suggested she did not speak because their religion forbade it, which is untrue, and telling ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos that perhaps “she didn’t have anything to say.” 

Trump also rejected Khan’s claim that he has not sacrificed, by equating his “sacrifice” of building a real estate empire (the foundation of which he inherited) to the Khans’ loss of their son. Trump also accused the Clinton campaign of penning Khan’s speech, robbing him of that dignity as well.

And he said that employing tens of thousands of people, and helping raise millions of dollars for veterans was also a “sacrifice.” he then pointed to his “popularity with the vets, which is through the roof,” as proof of his sacrifices.

On Saturday, Trump issued a statement, which fell on deaf ears.

In a Washington Post op-ed Sunday morning, Ghazala Khan responded directly to Trump questioning her silence, writing, “without saying a thing, all the world, all America, felt my pain. I am a Gold Star mother. Whoever saw me felt me in their heart.”

“Walking onto the convention stage, with a huge picture of my son behind me, I could hardly control myself. What mother could? Donald Trump has children whom he loves. Does he really need to wonder why I did not speak?,” she asked, concluding, “Donald Trump said he has made a lot of sacrifices. He doesn’t know what the word sacrifice means.”

Perhaps sensing he is losing this battle, and rightly so, Trump Sunday morning, apparently exasperated, once again took to Twitter, now playing defense:

The New York Times Sunday reports that “Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, a Republican and former presidential contender who has refused to endorse Mr. Trump, said the Khan family deserved better. ‘There’s only one way to talk about Gold Star parents: with honor and respect,’ Mr. Kasich said.”

Republican Meghan McCain, whose father was among the first attacked by Trump in his presidential campaign, offered this:

 

Image: Screenshot via ABC News This Week/Twitter