Trump faces backlash for insulting mother of fallen soldier

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump came under fire yet again for his most recent remarks directed against the mother of slain US Army captain Humayun Khan.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at Trump National Doral
TRT World and Agencies

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at Trump National Doral

Khizr Khan and his wife Ghazala Khan, parents of Humayun Khan, a slain US Army captain, took stage during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Philadelphia last week. His wife stood silently during her husband's heartfelt and beautifully rousing six-minute long address.

While most viewers clearly saw a grief-stricken mother standing silently in solidarity with her husband, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump saw her solemn demineur as a weakness and took license in attacking her on Sunday.

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Khizr Khan, father of fallen US Army Capt. Humayun S. M. Khan holds up a copy of the Constitution of the United States as his wife listens during the final day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia

"If you look at his wife, she was standing there. She had nothing to say. She probably, maybe she wasn't allowed to have anything to say. You tell me," Trump said during an interview with with ABC news' George Stephanopoulos.

The backlash of his latest remarks have already garnered fierce rebuke from many politicians across the aisles, as well as Mrs. Khan herself.

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Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally, Thursday, July 28, 2016, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Appearing on MSNBC's Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell, Mrs. Khan explained that she has decided not to speak on stage due to her fears of being "overcome emotionally".

"Please. I am very upset when I heard when he said that I didn't say anything. I was in pain. If you were in pain you fight or you don't say anything, I'm not a fighter, I can't fight. So the best thing I do was quiet," Ghazala said in another interview with ABC's Today.

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Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, speaks during the second day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Tuesday, July 19, 2016.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, released a strongly worded statement on Sunday without actually mentioning Trump's name, condemning the attack of the fallen soldier's family.

"All Americans should value the patriotic service of the patriots who volunteer to selflessly defend us in the armed services. And as I have long made clear, I agree with the Khans and families across the country that a travel ban on all members of a religion is simply contrary to American values," McConnell wrote.

Unsatisfied by the mildness of the Republican's statement, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, a Democratic Senator from Nevada shared this sentiment: "This shouldn't be hard, Donald Trump is a sexist and racist man who insults Gold Star parents, stokes fear of Muslims and sows hatred of Latinos. He should not be president and Republican leaders have a moral responsibility to say so."

With #CanyouHearUsNow trending on twitter, many activists are urging Trump to apologise for his remarks.

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