Washington (CNN)Donald Trump ignited a political firestorm Saturday by questioning whether Sen. John McCain -- who spent over five years as a prisoner during the Vietnam War -- is a war hero.
By mid-afternoon, Trump tried to walk back his blunder on Twitter, saying "captured or not, all our soldiers are heroes!"
But his attempt at damage control seemed unlikely to diminish the anger his remarks had caused. They provoked an immediate outcry from his 2016 presidential rivals and the Republican National Committee -- which has expressed concern about the impact his controversial remarks on immigration have had on the GOP brand -- and may have provided an opportunity for Trump's rivals to knock him from his position as the party's leading presidential candidate.
The controversy began early Saturday afternoon, when Trump, speaking at a question-and-answer session at the Family Leadership Summit in Ames, Iowa, commented on McCain, with whom he's recently feuded over illegal immigration.
"He is not a war hero," Trump told pollster Frank Luntz, who was hosting the session.
"He is a war hero," Luntz interjected.
"He is a war hero because he was captured," Trump said, cutting him off. "I like people that weren't captured, OK? I hate to tell you. He is a war hero because he was captured. OK, you can have -- I believe perhaps he is a war hero."
The comments met with a mix of gasps, boos, laughter and some applause from an audience.
McCain, a Naval aviator, was shot down in 1967 over North Vietnam and fractured both arms and legs after being ejected from his aircraft. He was repeatedly tortured during his stay in the notorious "Hanoi Hilton" -- and refused early release when the North Vietnamese learned his father was a Navy admiral -- until he finally returned home in 1973 following the Paris Peace Accords.
McCain, who has limited mobility in his arms following his war experience, received the Distinguished Flying Cross, a Silver Star and a Purple Heart for his service.
Trump, meanwhile, received several deferments during the war, the New York Daily Newsreported in 2011.
Trump's comments were swiftly condemned on Twitter early Saturday afternoon, with several Republican 2016 candidates blasting the remarks.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry ripped Trump's remarks, calling McCain "an American hero" and labeling Trump's words as "disgraceful."
No comments:
Post a Comment