John McCain condemns Donald Trump’s comments on parents of Muslim soldier

Senator John McCain, the Republican presidential candidate in 2008, has turned his guns on Donald Trump and criticised him over his comments about a “gold star” Muslim couple who spoke out against him at the Democratic convention. Khizr and Ghazala Khan spoke at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) about their son, who died while fighting for the US in Iraq, and denounced what they termed Mr Trump's efforts to smear Americans.

Mr McCain, who has issued only a lukewarm endorsement of Mr Trump and is fighting a tough re-election battle for the Senate, said he could not “emphasise enough how deeply I disagree with Mr Trump’s statement”.

“While our party has bestowed upon him the nomination, it is not accompanied by unfettered license to defame those who are the best among us,” Mr McCain said in a statement on Monday.

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Mr McCain, perhaps America’s most celebrated former prisoner of war, also paid homage to the sacrifice of the Khans’ son, and others who have died.

“I wear a bracelet bearing the name of a fallen hero, Matthew Stanley, which his mother, Lynn, gave me in 2007 at a town-hall meeting in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire,” Mr McCain wrote. “His memory and the memory of our great leaders deserve better from me.”

The controversy surrounding Mr Trump and the Khans relates to an appearance by the couple last week at the Democratic National Convention. In one of the most keenly watched addresses, Mr Khan said the Republican presidential nominee had smeared Muslims while sacrificing nothing himself.

Two days later, Mr Trump added fresh fuel to the issue when he appeared to suggest that Ms Khan had not spoken during the convention because she had been prohibited from doing so. He appeared to suggest this was because she was a Muslim woman.

Ms Khan rapidly shot back in an article for The Washington Post, saying: “Here is my answer to Donald Trump: Because without saying a thing, all the world, all America, felt my pain.”

She added: “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?”

Mr Trump also found himself being criticised by other parents who had lost children in conflict.

In an open letter, several “gold star” families, a reference to families who have had a loved one die in service to the nation, called on the Republican presidential nominee to stop his attacks on the Khan family. Their son was killed in Iraq in 2004 and posthumously awarded a Bronze Star for his actions.

“Your recent comments regarding the Khan family were repugnant, and personally offensive to us,” read the letter, which was put together by Karen Meredith, a “gold star” mother who serves as military families coordinator for VoteVets.org, a political organisation for US veterans.

“When you question a mother's pain, by implying that her religion, not her grief, kept her from addressing an arena of people, you are attacking us. When you say your job building buildings is akin to our sacrifice, you are attacking our sacrifice.”

This is not the first time Mr Trump has found himself at the centre of controversy over America’s military veterans.

Last July, the property tycoon said Mr McCain was only considered a war hero because he was captured – and seemed to mock him for that fact.

“I cannot emphasise enough how deeply I disagree with Mr Trump’s statement. I hope Americans understand that the remarks do not represent the views of our Republican Party, its officers, or candidates,” said Mr McCain.