Donald Trump is facing backlash tonight from members of the military and Democrats after comparing the Medal of Freedom, which is awarded to civilians, and the Medal of Honor, which is the nation's highest military honor. Trump says the civilian award is better in his view because the military award is often given to those wounded or killed in combat. Trump made these comments as he honored a Republican mega donor with whom he awarded the presidential Medal of Freedom.

We gave Miriam, the presidential Medal of Freedom. That's the highest award you can get as a civilian. It's the equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor, but civilian version. It's actually much better because everyone gets the Congressional Medal of Honor. That's soldiers. They're either in very bad shape because they've been hit so many times by bullets or they're dead. She gets it, and she's a healthy, beautiful woman. And they're rated equal.

Here with us now, Khazir Khan, a gold star father whose son, a US soldier, was killed in Iraq in 2004. Mr. Khan himself received the Medal of Freedom, I should note from President Biden in 2022, and he spoke famously at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Mr. Khan, I'm so glad you're here tonight. Thank you for being here and just to speak on this, given everything that you've been through. When you heard what Trump said there, what was your reaction?

Ketelen, thank you. I was saddened and appalled. That's typical Trump hate and division. These awards are acknowledgement of a grateful nation, of the service of the recipient. To create a division and comparison, each award has its own significance, and we must honor the recipients equally. But that's beyond Trump. He must create controversy and divide and create hate. It was very sad to see him do this, but I was not surprised. Trump is being himself. He is He has inherent contempt of men and women serving in uniform and those who have served. If you allow me to remind your audience, in 2018, in Paris, when he went to participate in the commemoration of 100th anniversary of End of World War I, That's where he said, and all media reported that, he called our heroes, Suckers and Losers. The second time on Memorial Day in 2017, when he visited Arlington National Cemetery with the then-homeland Secretary, and later on his chief of his staff, General Kelly, where General Kelly's young son, Lieutenant Kelly, is buried, and my son is buried in Section 60, he stood there and asked Kelly what is in it for them, meaning that he has no comprehension what sacrifice and service to country means.

So time after time, he has proven that he has no capacity or capability. He is nothing but ego and appetite. So everywhere you see him speak, that is what is on display.

Well, and anyone who's ever been to Section 60 at Arlington National Cemetery is humbled just to stand there and to witness it. And so I just, obviously, as was well-documented in 2016, Donald Trump has never served in the military. His running mate, Senator JD Vance has. I just want you to respond to what Senator Vance had to say about this comment. This is it.

I myself am a Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War. This is a guy who loves our veterans and who honors our veterans. I don't think him complimenting and saying a nice word about a person who received the presidential Medal of Freedom is in any way denigrating those who received military honors.

You don't agree with that, I take it?

Well, I humbly ask. First, we salute all of our veterans that have served and their families for their service and their sacrifice, including Senator Vence. But he needs to look a little closer, a little closer to himself. His presidential candidate. I'm saddened to say this that in 234-year history of United States, there had not been a president or a former president who has been indicted with felony charges. The President that he represents, he meaning J. D. V. V. Represents, has been indicted 34 times, convicted convicted 34 times of 34 felonies. It's an embarrassment to United States and our democracy that one of our candidate is 34 times convicted felon. The world looks at us, we're a beacon of democracy and rule of law that we have a person like Donald Trump as our candidate for President. It's a sad moment. History will ask today, where is Republican leadership today that has allowed this to happen? In the last three elections, to conclude my comments, in the last three presidential elections, that is all Republicans have. Donald Trump, he had been candidate, and he won that election in 2016 and then 2020, and then 2024. They only have one candidate that keeps popping up again and again, and they cannot.

I know Republicans are as patriotic as anyone else, and they have amazing leaders, and they need to reconsider this. And it's a historical mistake in the making, and they can stop it by removing him from the candidacy.

I don't think that's happening anytime soon. Mr. Khan, as always, thank you for your time.

Thank you.