Trump Comments Stir Up More Controversy

John McCain says Donald Trump doesn’t owe him an apology but should express sorrow to other prisoners of war and their families.

After dismissing McCain’s reputation as a war hero because he was captured in Vietnam and saying “I like people who weren’t captured“, Trump declared “I will say what I want to say”. “And I was Fourth of July with the men and women who are serving in Afghanistan, and I can tell you, they are just wonderful, better than my generation”. He was nourishing himself on his father’s silver spoon, receiving four student deferments from military service (and a fifth on medical grounds), then going from college to handy positions of influence in the company of real estate developer Fred Trump, his father. “Period. There is no place in our party or our country for comments that disparage those who have served honorably”. Rick Perry, an Air Force veteran, said Trump is unfit to be commander in chief.

Trump has also accused the media of misrepresenting his remarks on Saturday.

Trump is known for his off-the-cuff and provocative statements, but his latest on McCain sparked a firestorm of bipartisan condemnation.

“I’m not a fan of John McCain“, the Republican presidential contender told Lauer via phone Monday.

Rubio believes that Trump’s remark about the 2008 GOP presidential nominee was not only an insult to McCain, but also all prisoners of war.

US Secretary of State John Kerry, a Democrat, lashed out at the comment, as did former presidential candidate Mitt Romney, a Republican. (Read the responses by Scott Walker, Ted Cruz, and Jeb Bush.).

Sen. John McCain, the target of Donald Trump’s ire all weekend, took the high road Monday.

“Perhaps he’s a war hero but right now he said some very bad things about a lot of people“, he said.

“I put all that behind me”, he said. “I think now, as this has gone forward and he’s become a more covered candidate and people pay more attention to him, it’s required people to be more forceful on some of these offensive things that he’s saying”. “Mr. Trump owes Senator McCain and all veterans an apology”, said Retired Navy Vice Adm. Norb Ryan, president and CEO of Military Officers Association of America.

“It’s not just absurd”, said Florida Sen. Some groaned. Moments later, Trump stood by his comments as he was surrounded by reporters.