Ben Carson Says Khan Family Should Apologize to Trump
Carson made the remarks amid fallout about Trump's statements.
— -- Former presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson said today that the parents of fallen soldier Capt. Humayun Khan should apologize to Donald Trump for their comments made in an emotional case against the real estate mogul’s candidacy at the Democratic National Convention.
“I don’t think it would be harmful if they apologized to him and he apologized to them, but I don’t see that happening,” Carson told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer when asked if Trump should apologize to the family. “Well, for one thing, if you accuse someone of something that’s not true, it usually is a reasonable thing to acknowledge that.”
Trump is facing backlash over remarks he made about Khizr Khan and Ghazala Khan, the slain soldier’s parents, after they took him to task at the DNC and in subsequent interviews, and he has doubled down on his criticism since then.
“Mr. Khan, who does not know me, viciously attacked me from the stage of the DNC and is now all over T.V. doing the same – Nice!” Trump tweeted yesterday.
Trump questioned whether Ghazala Khan was not permitted to speak at the convention.
Carson suggested that Trump and the Khans call a truce.
“Rather than make this a one-sided issue, why don’t we all just, say, back off a little bit,” Carson said. “We have such important issues to deal with, and you know, let’s just call a truce. And the best way to call a truce is simply to say, ‘I’m over that. You’re over that. I’m sorry I said this if it offended you.’”
Many Republicans have condemned Trump’s attacks on the Khans — including 2008 GOP presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan have issued statements in defense of the Khan family.