Meghan McCain faces Donald Trump Jr: 'You and your family have hurt a lot of people, was it worth it?'
Meghan McCain, on Thursday, confronted President Donald Trump's eldest son Donald Trump Jr during an interview on The View, asking him if it makes him "feel good" that his family has "hurt a lot of people?" McCain's father, late Senator John McCain, has been repeatedly attacked by the president over their policy differences, even months after his death from cancer.
"Mr Trump, a lot of Americans in politics miss character, and a lot of people miss the soul of this country. You and your family have hurt a lot of people and put a lot of people through a lot of pain, including the Khan family, who is a Gold Star family that I think should be respected for the loss of their son. Does all of this make you feel good?” The View co-host directly asked Trump Jr who was at the show with his girlfriend, former Fox News host, Kimberly Guilfoyle.
McCain, in her question, was referring to Khizr and Ghazala Khan, whose son was killed while serving in the US Army. The Khans had made an appearance at the 2016 Democratic National Convention to speak out about Trump's proposed policies about targeting Muslims. Trump, however, ridiculed the Gold Star parents, drawing widespread backlash.
Trump Jr responded to McCain's question with: "I don’t think any of that makes me feel good, but I do think that we got into this because we wanted to do what’s right for America. My father has been working tirelessly to bring back the American dream, who’ve watched politicians with no business experience send that American dream abroad to countries that hate our guts. He’s brought jobs back, he’s created unprecedented levels of unemployment numbers for African-Americans, for Hispanic Americans... I understand that he’s controversial, I understand that he’s offended a lot of people, but I also understand he took on the establishment and that’s the premier sin in American politics these days, to do that.”
McCain then interrupted Trump Jr, saying her question pertains to the importance of character in politics. "I understand what you’re saying about policy, but when you’re talking about attacking Gold Star families who have given the ultimate sacrifice more than anyone in this room has given, and you put them through pain. Does it make you feel like this was worth it?”
The president's son defended Trump, saying his father is a "counterpuncher" and suggested that he punches back when he is "under attack by the establishment." As Trump Jr said that his father has a "great character," co-host Sunny Hostin cut in to say, “I think she didn’t appreciate that your father attacked her father.” McCain quietly replied with: "I didn't."
“I understand, I’m sorry about that,” Trump Jr responded. “They did have differences, I agree with that,” Don Jr said. “And again, I’m sorry for the loss, I think you lost your aunt last night, so I do apologize for that as well.”
McCain then mentioned her late father, saying: "I did lose an aunt last night. Yes, I did. Thank you. I just, it’s just, for me, it would not have been worth it. This would have not been worth it. And I think people can go to the moment when my dad had stopped someone from saying Obama was a Muslim and the pain, inflicting pain, on so many people wouldn’t have been worth it to me or my family to the White House."