Donald Trump has come under increasing fire this week after attacking the parents of a fallen US soldier who spoke at the Democratic National Convention last week. Khizr Khan gave a stirring speech eulogizing his son Humayun and attacking Trump for demonizing people of the Muslim faith. Khan also brought Donald Trump’s knowledge of the Constitution into question.

“Let me ask you: have you even read the United States constitution? I will gladly lend you my copy. In this document, look for the words ‘liberty’ and ‘equal protection of law’.” He then pulls out his worn pocket copy of the Constitution and holds it up in perhaps the most memorable moment of the 2016 DNC.

Donald Trump took to Twitter to retaliate against the grieving family, but also released a written statement to “set the record straight.”

Captain Humayun Khan was a hero to our country and we should honor all who have made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our country safe. The real problem here are the radical Islamic terrorists who killed him, and the efforts of these radicals to enter our country to do us further harm. Given the state of the world today, we have to know everything about those looking to enter our country, and given the state of chaos in some of these countries, that is impossible. While I feel deeply for the loss of his son, Mr. Khan who has never met me, has no right to stand in front of millions of people and claim I have never read the Constitution, (which is false) and say many other inaccurate things. If I become President, I will make America safe again.

The emphasis is mine.

Consider the irony of that statement. Trump didn’t say that Khan was mistaken, didn’t say that Khan wasn’t fair, didn’t say that Khan shouldn’t have said that. He said Khan had no right to say that. I would like to direct Mr. Trump’s attention to this small piece of text in the Constitution that he claims to have read:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Sources:
http://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2016/07/31/father-of-muslim-soldier-trump-is-incapable-of-empathy-n2200390
https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/setting-the-record-straight
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/dnc-2016-khizr-khan-donald-trump-read-full-transcript-father-muslim-soldier-a7161616.html
http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/01/politics/khans-donald-trump-cnn-new-day/
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/08/02/15-hours-of-donald-trump-s-lies.html