Trump criticizes John McCain for being 'captured' in Vietnam
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who didn't serve in Vietnam, criticized Arizona Sen. John McCain's military record Saturday
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who didn't serve in Vietnam, criticized Arizona Sen. John McCain's military record Saturday
Republican presidential candidate Donald聽Trump聽criticized Arizona Sen. John McCain's military record Saturday, saying he was a "war hero because he was captured."
Speaking at a conference of religious conservatives in Iowa,聽Trump聽was pressed on his recent description of the 2008 Republican presidential nominee as "a dummy."
McCain served as a Navy pilot during the Vietnam War. He was captured after his plane was shot down and was held more than five years as a prisoner of war. The moderator, Republican pollster Frank Luntz, described McCain as "a war hero."
Trump聽said McCain "is a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured." The comment drew some boos from the audience.
During a news conference after his appearance,聽Trump聽did not apologize but sought to clarify his remarks.
"If a person is captured, they're a hero as far as I'm concerned. ... But you have to do other things also,"聽Trump聽said. "I don't like the job John McCain is doing in the Senate because he is not taking care of our veterans."
A spokesman for McCain, Brian Rogers, said no comment when asked about聽Trumps聽remarks.
Trump聽said he avoided service in the Vietnam War through student and medical deferments, adding that he did not serve because he "was not a big fan of the Vietnam war. I wasn't a protester, but the Vietnam war was a disaster for our country."
The comments about McCain drew rapid criticism from other 2016 hopefuls. In a statement, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry said the remarks make聽Trump聽"unfit to be commander-in-chief."
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush tweeted:
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker were also quick to condemn the remarks.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz called McCain an American war hero, but sidestepped when asked whether he would condemn the remarks.
"I recognize that folks in the press love to see Republican on Republican violence," Cruz said. "You want me to say something bad about Donald聽Trump聽or bad about John McCain or bad about anyone else and I'm not going to do it."
Trump聽was among 10 GOP presidential candidates on Saturday's program for the Family Leader Summit.
Trump was recently in Arizona, McCain's state. The New Yorker, which interviewed McCain after Trump's visit, reported: