Khizr And Ghazala Khan Denounce Trump's 'Selfish And Divisive Actions'

The Gold Star parents weigh in on the president's controversial comments about consoling the families of fallen service members.
LOADINGERROR LOADING

Khizr and Ghazala Khan, the parents of a Muslim service member killed in Iraq, denounced President Donald Trump’s “selfish and divisive actions” related to this week’s controversy of Trump’s comments on consoling the families of fallen troops.

It took Trump 12 days to publicly address the deaths of four Green Berets during an Oct. 4 ambush. When he finally spoke about the matter on Monday, he slammed his predecessors, including former President Barack Obama, for failing to call the forgotten families of fallen service members.

The Khans blasted Trump on Tuesday in a statement to ABC News, declaring that they “stand with the families in their moment of grief.”

Khizr and Ghazala Khan became household names in July 2016 after Khizr Khan delivered a stinging rebuke to then-presidential candidate Trump at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

“Let me ask you, have you even read the U.S. Constitution? I will gladly lend you my copy,” Khan addressed Trump, before pulling a copy of the document from his pocket.

Trump subsequently attacked the Khans, implying that Ghazala Khan had not spoken at the convention due to the couple’s Islamic faith.

Khizr Khan, right, and Ghazala Khan appear at the Democratic National Convention in July 2016. Khizr Khan's speech sparked vociferous attacks from Donald Trump.
Khizr Khan, right, and Ghazala Khan appear at the Democratic National Convention in July 2016. Khizr Khan's speech sparked vociferous attacks from Donald Trump.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

The comments sparked widespread denunciations of Trump for attacking Gold Star parents ― a term referring to the parents of fallen service members, which Trump was reportedly unfamiliar with beforehand. The Khans’ son Capt. Humayun S.M. Khan died serving in Iraq in 2004 while stopping a suicide bomber from entering a military base.

Khizr Khan went on to appear in a video advertisement for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. He is now helping raise money for Democratic candidates in Virginia, where he lives.

Before You Go

Anti-Hate Protests Against Trump

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot