Republican nominee Donald Trump expanded the rift in his already-divided party by declining to endorse two key GOP figures: Senator John McCain and House Speaker Paul Ryan. Both Republican leaders are up for re-election this year.
In an interview with the Washington Post, Trump said that he could not endorse McCain nor Ryan as both face off in their respective states’ primary contests.
McCain and Ryan have both criticized Trump’s attacks on Army Captain Humayun Khan, who was killed in Iraq in the line of duty and awarded the Bronze Star Medal for bravery.
The conflict comes two weeks after the Republican National Convention, during which Donald Trump was formally nominated for president.
Trump’s failure to endorse key party leaders and his recent remarks against the Khan family has only served to widen the rift in the Republican Party. High-level party members, including John McCain, George W. Bush and Mitt Romney, all declined to attend the convention.
The Republican nominee has been in a running conflict with the Khan family since they spoke on stage at the Democratic National Convention about their son’s sacrifice and criticized Trump for his proposed ban on Muslims.
The GOP nominee is facing serious backlash after his remarks, which has caused many Republicans to distance themselves from the party to show their support for the Khan family.
