Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Ghazala Khan Responds in Powerful OpEd After Trump Criticizes Her Silence

Ghazala Khan Responds in Powerful OpEd After Trump Criticizes Her Silence

[DIGEST: Washington Post, CNN]

“When Donald Trump is talking about Islam, he is ignorant,” wrote Ghazala Khan in a scathing Washington Post op-ed published yesterday morning. “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.”


Ghazala Khan’s op-ed served as a response to Trump’s remarks on the Khans, the parents of a Muslim American Army captain slain in Iraq in 2004, following their appearance at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia last Thursday evening. In his address, Khizr Khan delivered perhaps the most damning indictment of Donald Trump’s immigration proposals. “Our son Humayun had dreams … of being a military lawyer, but he put those dreams aside the day he sacrificed his life to save the lives of his fellow soldiers,” Khan said. “Hillary Clinton was right when she called my son ‘the best of America.’ If it was up to Donald Trump, he never would have been in America.”

The crowd began to cheer the moment Khan pulled out a pocket-sized copy of the American Constitution. “Donald Trump, you are asking Americans to trust you with their future. Let me ask you: Have you even read the United States Constitution? I will gladly lend you my copy,” he said. “In this document, look for the words ‘liberty’ and ‘equal protection of law.’ Have you ever been to Arlington Cemetery? Go look at the graves of brave patriots who died defending [the] United States of America. You’ll see, all faiths, genders, and ethnicities. You have sacrificed nothing and no one.” Khan received a standing ovation, but Trump soon made headlines for criticizing Ghazala Khan’s silence and implying that she wasn’t allowed to speak. “I’d like to hear his wife say something,” he said at the time.

Credit: Source.

A number of prominent conservatives have openly admonished Trump for disrespecting the family of a fallen soldier.

Speaker Paul Ryan, who has been one of Trump’s more vocal critics, said that Humayun Khan’s sacrifice for his country should always be honored. "His sacrifice––and that of Khizr and Ghazala Khan––should always be honored. Period." Ryan said.

Sen. Lindsey Graham went further, questioning Trump’s effectiveness as a leader. “This is going to a place where we’ve never gone before, to push back

against the families of the fallen. There used to be some things that were sacred in American politics — that you don’t do — like criticizing the parents of a fallen soldier, even if they criticize you,” Graham said. “If you’re going to be leader of the free world, you have to be able to accept criticism. Mr. Trump can’t.”

Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who declined to attend the Republican National Convention and garnered attention recently for calling his reluctance to back Donald Trump “something that’s a matter of conscience for me,” came to the Khan’s defense on Twitter.

Condemnation also rained down from the other side of the aisle. Karen Finney, a senior spokeswoman for the Clinton campaign, did not mince words, calling Trump “truly shameless.”

Hillary Clinton addressed the controversy in a statement Saturday evening, saying she was “very moved” by Ghazala Khan’s “dignity” at the Democratic National Convention. "This is a time for all Americans to stand with the Khans, and with all the families whose children have died in service to our country,” Clinton said. “And this is a time to honor the sacrifice of Captain Khan and all the fallen. Captain Khan and his family represent the best of America, and we salute them."

In her op-ed, Ghazala Khan explained the reason behind her silence: She was grieving. “It has been 12 years, but you know hearts of pain can never heal as long as we live,” she wrote. “Just talking about it is hard for me all the time. Every day, whenever I pray, I have to pray for him, and I cry. The place that emptied will always be empty… Walking onto the convention stage, with a huge picture of my son behind me, I could hardly control myself. What mother could? Donald Trump has children whom he loves. Does he really need to wonder why I did not speak?”

You can read Ghazala Khan's complete op-ed here.

More from People/donald-trump

Screenshots of Will Thilly breakdancing
New York Post/YouTube

Guy Breakdances His Way Into Town Hall Meeting To Ask Why Taxes Went Up—And Becomes An Instant Legend

Cranford, New Jersey town council candidate Will Thilly went viral after dancing his way up to the podium at a recent town hall meeting to ask why property taxes in Cranford have gone "up so much."

Thilly's unique tax protest began when he danced his way up to the podium and continued to dance even after a Cranford Township official said, "Mr. Thilly, I started your time." People laughed when Thilly held up a finger to stop the official and continued to dance anyway.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Brian Kilmeade
Fox News

Fox News Host Apologizes After His Suggestion That Homeless People Be Euthanized Sparks Outrage

Fox and Friends host Brian Kilmeade was criticized for suggesting that homeless people with mental health issues get "involuntary lethal injection" after the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a train in North Carolina—and was swiftly condemned for an insincere apology several days after the fact as many are calling for Fox News to terminate his contract.

Zarutska was stabbed to death at the East/West Boulevard station on the Lynx Blue Line in Charlotte last month; her killer, a homeless man with a history of mental health issues, has since been charged with first-degree murder.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sofía Vergara
Bryan Steffy/Getty Images

Sofía Vergara Reveals She Missed Presenting At The Emmys Due To 'Craziest' Medical Emergency

Almost everyone has a favorite television show they like to turn on at the end of a rough day or binge-watch for a bit of nostalgia, and most of us pretty frequently check out new shows to see if we can spot a favorite.

Needless to say, the Emmys award show is a huge deal every year, honoring all of the people involved in the projects that are currently gracing the small screen, and basically anyone who's anyone will attend.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rep. Nancy Mace
CNN

Nancy Mace Just Tried To Claim She's Never 'Dehumanized' Her Colleagues—And The Internet Brought The Receipts

South Carolina Republican Representative Nancy Mace was called out for hypocrisy after she claimed on CNN that Democrats in Congress have been "dehumanizing" Republicans, a move she would "never" do—despite her record of doing just that.

Speaking to anchor Katie Bolduan while the search for the suspect who killed far-right activist Charlie Kirk was ongoing, Mace objected to Bolduan's observation that she was using "us v. them" language, only saying that things are "very one-sided right now." She also suggested that the situation is so bad for her that she's actually afraid of "just walking out in public."

Keep ReadingShow less
A younger man stand on top of a mountain with his arms outreached and his face looking to the sky. It's a beautiful day and lakes and mountains are the backdrop.
Photo by Kyle Loftus on Unsplash

People Who Quit Their High-Paying Jobs For Happiness Explain How It Turned Out

Sometimes money isn't the goal.

It is a BIG goal for many.

Keep ReadingShow less