By — Omar Etman Omar Etman Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/muslim-leaders-respond-mr-khan Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Mother of army captain, Muslim leaders respond to Trump Nation Jul 31, 2016 2:38 PM EDT On Thursday night Ghazala Khan and her husband Khizr Khan addressed the crowd at the Democratic National Convention. She stood by his side as Mr. Khan challenged Donald Trump directly. Waving a pocket Constitution, he declared, “You have sacrificed nothing and no one.” The Khans, whose son Humayan Khan, an army captain, was killed in Iraq in 2004 and posthumously received a Purple Heart, resonated with Muslims across the country. But their speech elicited criticism from Trump, bringing on additional attention. On Friday, in an interview with The New York Times, Trump responded to Mr. Khan: “I’d like to see his wife say something.” After his initial comment to The New York Times, Trump doubled down in an interview with ABC News. “If you look at his wife, she was standing there. She had nothing to say. She probably, maybe she wasn’t allowed to have anything to say. You tell me, but plenty of people have written that she was extremely quiet, and it looked like she had nothing to say,” he said. In a Sunday op-ed for the Washington Post, she did. “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?” she wrote. Muslims spoke out against Trump, and in support of Mrs. Khan, on Twitter. This response is as despicable as it is to be expected: Trump is playing on the stereotype of the silent, oppressed Muslim woman. — Laila Lalami (@LailaLalami) July 30, 2016 Ghazala Aunty doesn't need Trump to save her #SheSpokeNowListen — Linda Sarsour (@lsarsour) July 30, 2016 https://twitter.com/ImTheQ/status/759544477744701440 Here you go @realDonaldTrump. You wanted Ghazala Khan to speak and she has words for you. https://t.co/bCJVo5URzX via @washingtonpost — Lena Shareef (@LenaShareef) July 31, 2016 After Mr. Khan’s speech on Thursday, Muslim writers and advocates celebrated the presence of Muslims on a national stage. Thank you, Mr. Khan. This is why my parents chose this country to start a family. This is my America. https://t.co/797CFfHnWl — Sabrina Siddiqui (@SabrinaSiddiqui) July 29, 2016 God bless the Khan's who said what so many of us want to say. God bless them and their son. #DNCinPHL — Suhaib Webb (@ImamSuhaibWebb) July 29, 2016 Yo, no one knows how to burn better than a Desi Uncle or Auntie burn. Take that (and a Kahn's constitution) Trump. #DemsInPhilly — Taz Ahmed (@TazzyStar) July 29, 2016 American Muslim, Army Capt. Humayun Kahn and his parents, hit close to home for me and all military families. #DemConvention#DemsInPhilly — Dr.Debbie Almontaser (@DebbiAlmontaser) July 29, 2016 Humayun Khan gave his life for fellow soldiers, and his father Khizr turns out to be a fighter as well #DNCinPHL pic.twitter.com/LfA5ig1rKj — Shahed Amanullah (@shahed) July 29, 2016 https://twitter.com/MazMHussain/status/759139099559198720 We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Omar Etman Omar Etman Omar Etman is an intern at PBS NewsHour Weekend.
On Thursday night Ghazala Khan and her husband Khizr Khan addressed the crowd at the Democratic National Convention. She stood by his side as Mr. Khan challenged Donald Trump directly. Waving a pocket Constitution, he declared, “You have sacrificed nothing and no one.” The Khans, whose son Humayan Khan, an army captain, was killed in Iraq in 2004 and posthumously received a Purple Heart, resonated with Muslims across the country. But their speech elicited criticism from Trump, bringing on additional attention. On Friday, in an interview with The New York Times, Trump responded to Mr. Khan: “I’d like to see his wife say something.” After his initial comment to The New York Times, Trump doubled down in an interview with ABC News. “If you look at his wife, she was standing there. She had nothing to say. She probably, maybe she wasn’t allowed to have anything to say. You tell me, but plenty of people have written that she was extremely quiet, and it looked like she had nothing to say,” he said. In a Sunday op-ed for the Washington Post, she did. “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?” she wrote. Muslims spoke out against Trump, and in support of Mrs. Khan, on Twitter. This response is as despicable as it is to be expected: Trump is playing on the stereotype of the silent, oppressed Muslim woman. — Laila Lalami (@LailaLalami) July 30, 2016 Ghazala Aunty doesn't need Trump to save her #SheSpokeNowListen — Linda Sarsour (@lsarsour) July 30, 2016 https://twitter.com/ImTheQ/status/759544477744701440 Here you go @realDonaldTrump. You wanted Ghazala Khan to speak and she has words for you. https://t.co/bCJVo5URzX via @washingtonpost — Lena Shareef (@LenaShareef) July 31, 2016 After Mr. Khan’s speech on Thursday, Muslim writers and advocates celebrated the presence of Muslims on a national stage. Thank you, Mr. Khan. This is why my parents chose this country to start a family. This is my America. https://t.co/797CFfHnWl — Sabrina Siddiqui (@SabrinaSiddiqui) July 29, 2016 God bless the Khan's who said what so many of us want to say. God bless them and their son. #DNCinPHL — Suhaib Webb (@ImamSuhaibWebb) July 29, 2016 Yo, no one knows how to burn better than a Desi Uncle or Auntie burn. Take that (and a Kahn's constitution) Trump. #DemsInPhilly — Taz Ahmed (@TazzyStar) July 29, 2016 American Muslim, Army Capt. Humayun Kahn and his parents, hit close to home for me and all military families. #DemConvention#DemsInPhilly — Dr.Debbie Almontaser (@DebbiAlmontaser) July 29, 2016 Humayun Khan gave his life for fellow soldiers, and his father Khizr turns out to be a fighter as well #DNCinPHL pic.twitter.com/LfA5ig1rKj — Shahed Amanullah (@shahed) July 29, 2016 https://twitter.com/MazMHussain/status/759139099559198720 We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now