Donald Trump sparks backlash for mocking mother of a dead Muslim US Army captain
Republican presidential candidate has been slammed after suggesting Ghazala Khan was not allowed to speak
DONALD Trump has sparked outrage after mocking the mother of a dead American Muslim soldier.
Ghazala Khan stood silently next to her husband as he attacked the Republican presidential hopeful during a speech at the Democratic Party’s convention.
“Donald Trump has children whom he loves. Does he really need to wonder why I did not speak?
"Donald Trump said that maybe I wasn’t allowed to say anything. That is not true.
“My husband asked me if I wanted to speak, but I told him I could not. My religion teaches me that all human beings are equal in God’s eyes.
“Husband and wife are part of each other; you should love and respect each other so you can take care of the family.
“When Donald Trump is talking about Islam, he is ignorant. If he studied the real Islam and Koran, all the ideas he gets from terrorists would change, because terrorism is a different religion.
“Donald Trump said he has made a lot of sacrifices.
“He doesn’t know what the word sacrifice means.”
Republicans and Democrats alike have slammed Trump for attacking a mourning mother and many say his comments were racist and anti-Muslim.
Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine said at a campaign event: "He was kind of trying to turn that into some kind of ridicule.
“It just demonstrates again kind of a temperamental unfitness.
“If you don't have any more sense of empathy than that, then I'm not sure you can learn it."
Former President Bill Clinton, who joined his wife Hillary and Kaine at the event, agreed: "I cannot conceive how you can say that about a Gold Star mother."
And John Kasich, the Ohio governor who had wanted to be the Republican’s presidential candidate, said on Twitter: "There's only one way to talk about Gold Star parents: with honour and respect.
“Capt Khan is a hero. Together, we should pray for his family."
Hillary Clinton told supporters gathered to hear her speak in Youngstown, Ohio, last night: “Donald Trump is not a normal presidential candidate.
“Somebody who attacks everybody has something missing."
"He attacked the distinguished father of a soldier who sacrificed himself for his unit, Capt. Khan.”
She added: "I think it is fair to say he is temperamentally unfit and unqualified."
He said: "I've made a lot of sacrifices. I work very, very hard. I've created thousands and thousands of jobs, tens of thousands of jobs, built great structures.”
Late last night Trump released a statement calling Humayun Khan "a hero" but disputing his father's characterisation.
He said: "While I feel deeply for the loss of his son, Mr Khan who has never met me, has no right to stand in front of millions of people and claim I have never read the Constitution, (which is false) and say many other inaccurate things.”
Trump has made plans to visit some of the same areas Clinton is campaigning in during her three-day bus tour through Ohio and Pennsylvania, scheduling Monday stops in Columbus and Cleveland.