Alaska’s congressman and both U.S. senators are among the Republican lawmakers criticizing remarks Donald Trump made about the family of Captain Humayun Khan, a Muslim-American Army officer killed in Iraq.
Khan’s parents were featured at the Democratic National Convention, and Trump later criticized his mother for remaining silent as her husband spoke. Trump also compared their sacrifice to those he has made as a real estate developer.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski says “Gold Star families” — meaning the survivors of slain service members — deserve unconditional love and support. “Donald Trump must honor and respect this most fundamental value,” Murkowski said in a written statement.
A spokesman for Rep. Don Young, in response to a media inquiry, said while Young may not share the Khans’ political beliefs, he would never question the pain or sacrifice of a Gold Star family. The statement did not include Trump’s name.
Sen. Dan Sullivan, a reserve officer in the Marines, said he condemns any statements, “including the recent remarks by Donald Trump,” that undermine the sacrifice of Khan and his family. Slain service members and war veterans deserve nothing less than steadfast gratitude for their sacrifices, Sullivan says.
None of the three lawmakers said they would disavow Trump’s candidacy. Murkowski hasn’t said whether she will vote for Trump, but she says she’s always voted for the Republican nominee in past elections. Young has said he’d probably vote for Trump, depending on who he picks for cabinet posts. And Sullivan has said he supports the Republican nominee.
Liz Ruskin is the Washington, D.C., correspondent at Alaska Public Media. Reach her at lruskin@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Liz here.
