Days after VFW cheers Trump in Charlotte, commander blasts GOP nominee

Just days after a Veterans of Foreign Wars convention gave Donald Trump a boisterous reception in Charlotte, their commander says the Republican GOP nominee’s criticism of the parents of an Army captain killed in Iraq is unacceptable.

Trump has repeatedly denounced the parents of Capt. Humayun Khan, after the father spoke at the Democratic convention last week. Khizr Khan said Trump’s proposals would have barred his son from immigrating to the United States because they are Muslims.

Brian Duffy, head of the 1.7-million-member VFW, said in a statement Monday that election year or not, the nation’s oldest and largest war veterans group will not tolerate anyone berating a Gold Star family member for exercising their free speech. Gold Star families are those that have lost a close relative in military service.

Said Duffy: “There are certain sacrosanct subjects that no amount of wordsmithing can repair once crossed.”

Duffy, who was elected July 27 as the national commander of the VFW, said giving one’s life to the nation is the greatest sacrifice, followed closely by all Gold Star families who have a right to make their voices heard.

At a VFW national convention in Charlotte last week, veterans offered hearty cheers to Trump during a speech. The day before, Democratic hopefull Hillary Clinton received muted applause.

This story was originally published August 1, 2016 at 12:41 PM with the headline "Days after VFW cheers Trump in Charlotte, commander blasts GOP nominee."