At a speech in Iowa this weekend, Donald Trump called quintessential war hero Sen. John McCain "not a war hero," because McCain was a prisoner of war. "I like people who weren't captured," Trump said during a gathering of conservative activists, suggesting that the years McCain spent enduring torture during Vietnam were somehow McCain's fault.
It's an absurd comment that's infuriating everyone — and yet it's just the latest in a string of enraging things The Donald has said recently. Trump announced his candidacy for president only 33 days ago — and yet, in that very short time, he's managed to make an impressively vast list of people utterly furious, from war-hero senators to Mexican drug lords.
Here is an incomplete list of everyone Trump has enraged this month:
Democrats
Democratic hopeful Hillary Clinton, speaking at a dinner in Arkansas, was quick to condemn Trump’s comments, saying, "There is nothing funny about the hate he is spewing at immigrants and their families, and now the insults he has directed at a genuine war hero, Sen. John McCain." Secretary of State John Kerry said, in a statement, "If anyone doesn’t know that John McCain is a war hero, it only proves they know nothing about war and even less about heroism.” Republicans
But those are Democrats, obvious political opponents of Trump. What about the other side? As evidenced from this series of Tweets, they're furious too.
Democratic hopeful Hillary Clinton, speaking at a dinner in Arkansas, was quick to condemn Trump’s comments, saying, "There is nothing funny about the hate he is spewing at immigrants and their families, and now the insults he has directed at a genuine war hero, Sen. John McCain." Secretary of State John Kerry said, in a statement, "If anyone doesn’t know that John McCain is a war hero, it only proves they know nothing about war and even less about heroism.” Republicans
But those are Democrats, obvious political opponents of Trump. What about the other side? As evidenced from this series of Tweets, they're furious too.
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America’s POWs deserve much better than to have their service questioned by the offensive rantings of Donald Trump
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) July 18, 2015
Enough with the slanderous attacks. @SenJohnMcCain and all our veterans - particularly POWs have earned our respect and admiration.
— Jeb Bush (@JebBush) July 18, 2015
Mr. Trump's remarks are offensive & he should apologize not only to Sen McCain
— Kelly Ayotte (@KellyAyotte) July 18, 2015
but to all service members & veterans who have put their lives on the line in service to our nation.
— Kelly Ayotte (@KellyAyotte) July 18, 2015
And there’s even a little flak from Ted Cruz, who previously said of Trump, "I’ve been singing his praises...He is absolutely right" about immigration.
John McCain is an American hero. Although we have some policy disagreements, I'm proud to serve alongside him.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 18, 2015
Veterans
Individuals who've served our country spoke out against Trump and on McCain's (and all of their) behalf. Members of the conservative Concerned Veterans for America stated, “Donald Trump’s attacks against Senator McCain today are the height of arrogance and reveal that he has no understanding of what our Vietnam POWs endured and the honor they displayed during their captivity — Senator McCain among them.
People Angered by Hypocrisy
The Washington Post wrote a pretty amazing comparison between Trump's and McCain's formative years — basically noting that while John McCain was literally being tortured in a Hanoi prison, Trump was cruising around the U.S., using his family's wealth and status to dodge the draft, and generally partying.
The Media
Multimedia bigwig and Trump's fellow in controversy Rupert Murdoch disapproved on Twitter...along with just about every journalist who cared to weigh in.
Individuals who've served our country spoke out against Trump and on McCain's (and all of their) behalf. Members of the conservative Concerned Veterans for America stated, “Donald Trump’s attacks against Senator McCain today are the height of arrogance and reveal that he has no understanding of what our Vietnam POWs endured and the honor they displayed during their captivity — Senator McCain among them.
People Angered by Hypocrisy
The Washington Post wrote a pretty amazing comparison between Trump's and McCain's formative years — basically noting that while John McCain was literally being tortured in a Hanoi prison, Trump was cruising around the U.S., using his family's wealth and status to dodge the draft, and generally partying.
The Media
Multimedia bigwig and Trump's fellow in controversy Rupert Murdoch disapproved on Twitter...along with just about every journalist who cared to weigh in.
When is Donald Trump going to stop embarrassing his friends, let
alone the whole country?
— Rupert Murdoch (@rupertmurdoch) July 19, 2015
The Corporate World
Macy's, Univision, Televisa, NBC Universal, Serta mattresses, ESPN, the PGA, restaurateur José Andrés, Perfumania, and the Federal Aviation Administration shunned Trump for his insulting portrayal of Mexican immigrants, according to a handy list ABC News made. "When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists," is what Trump now infamously said during the speech announcing his candidacy. Approximately 11.6 million Mexican immigrants live in the United States. (Add them to the list, too.) Disagreeing with the idea that all of them are rapists, company after company began to "fire" The Donald, disrupting the airing of his Miss USA Pageant, ending sales of signature Trump ties, and freeing wrists nationwide from Success by Trump perfume. The Most Powerful Drug Lord on Earth
Once the notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera escaped from a maximum-security prison, he allegedly seized the opportunity to confirm that he, too, hates what Trump has to say. From an unverified Twitter account on July, El Chapo reportedly wrote, "Sigue chingando y voy hacer que te tragues todas tus putas palabras pinche guero cagaleche @realDonaldTrump." This translates roughly to "“Keep fucking around and I will make you swallow all your fucking words, fucking white cagaleche.” The tweet has since been removed.
Macy's, Univision, Televisa, NBC Universal, Serta mattresses, ESPN, the PGA, restaurateur José Andrés, Perfumania, and the Federal Aviation Administration shunned Trump for his insulting portrayal of Mexican immigrants, according to a handy list ABC News made. "When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists," is what Trump now infamously said during the speech announcing his candidacy. Approximately 11.6 million Mexican immigrants live in the United States. (Add them to the list, too.) Disagreeing with the idea that all of them are rapists, company after company began to "fire" The Donald, disrupting the airing of his Miss USA Pageant, ending sales of signature Trump ties, and freeing wrists nationwide from Success by Trump perfume. The Most Powerful Drug Lord on Earth
Once the notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera escaped from a maximum-security prison, he allegedly seized the opportunity to confirm that he, too, hates what Trump has to say. From an unverified Twitter account on July, El Chapo reportedly wrote, "Sigue chingando y voy hacer que te tragues todas tus putas palabras pinche guero cagaleche @realDonaldTrump." This translates roughly to "“Keep fucking around and I will make you swallow all your fucking words, fucking white cagaleche.” The tweet has since been removed.