Weeks after his comments likening Mexican immigrants to criminals and rapists, which sparked a massive backlash, Donald Trump once again finds himself caught in a controversy after insinuating Sen. John McCain and other prisoners of war are only heroes because they were captured.
"I like people that weren't captured," Trump said during an appearance in Iowa on Saturday.
By belittling the service of veterans, Trump offends one of the most universally respected groups in American life, according to Rob Shepardson, co-founder of advertising and political consulting firm SS+K.
"It's pretty obvious in politics you don't do anything against veterans," the strategist behind two Obama presidential campaigns said. "For reasonable people, it's an embarrassment to be associated with." (Tweet This)
Even Trump's home city of New York continued to distance itself from him after his latest comments. Mayor Bill de Blasio called on Trump to apologize and emphasized that "Donald Trump doesn't represent the views of the people of this city." Councilman Mark Levine, who also chairs the Committee on Parks and Recreation, petitioned to cancel all of Trump's contracts with city parks.
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