Retired neurosurgeon and former presidential candidate Ben Carson reiterated his demand for the family of Captain Humayun Khan to apologize to Donald Trump on Wednesday, saying that it was “unreasonable” for Khan’s father to say that Trump has not read the U.S. Constitution.
Carson insisted the Khans should apologize “because they said things that are false.” When pushed by Fox News’ Megyn Kelly, he explained exactly what the Khans said that he considered false — that Trump “had never read the Constitution. I mean, where did they get that from? That’s unreasonable.”
“Somebody running for president of the United States who has not read the Constitution? … That’s unreasonable,” Carson declared. Kelly shot back, saying, “He’s stating his opinion.” She added that the Khans “don’t like his proposed Muslim ban.”
Kelly then clarified exactly what the former presidential candidate thinks about the Khans. “I know you as an empathetic man, a kind man,” she noted. “Do you really believe that this Gold Star family should apologize to Donald Trump — [this family] that has sacrificed their son to protect this nation, that were viciously attacked by the presidential nominee — that they owe him an apology? I just want to make sure you really believe that.”
Carson did not emphatically state his agreement, but he did double down on insisting a Khan apology is necessary. “Try to listen very carefully to what I’m saying,” he hedged. “We as a society have gotten ourselves into this tug of war where we get into our separate corners and we try to demonize each other.”
“They way that we get out of that is they come together, they shake hands, they exchange pleasantries and apologies, and say you know we have better issues to deal with,” Carson insisted. He argued that “they’re both on the same side — they’re fighting radical Islamic terrorists. They lost a son doing that, Donald wants to fight that as well.”
Carson warned that squabbling amongst ourselves “only weakens us and makes it easier for our enemies to conquer us.” He may be right, but his insistence that the Khans apologize to Trump does not look good.
It increasingly seems as though the good doctor has sacrificed his integrity for some favor to come from The Donald. After all, Trump does know how to make “the best deals.”
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