Mother of US Muslim soldier reignites Trump row with 'HEARTLESS' jibe before inauguration
GHAZALA KHAN reignited a war of words with Donald Trump ahead of his inauguration by claiming he “does not have a heart”.
Mother of US war hero: Trump doesn't have a heart
The Muslim mother of US soldier Humayun Khan, who was killed while on service in Iraq, entered a bitter feud with the Republican during his election campaign last year.
At the Democratic National Convention in July, she stood in silence on stage with her husband, Khizr, while he urged Mr Trump to read the US Constitution and called out to him – “You have sacrificed nothing and no one” during a powerful speech.
The billionaire businessman later suggested Mrs Khan may not have been allowed to speak, telling ABC News: "She was standing there, she had nothing to say, she probably, maybe she wasn't allowed to have anything to say, you tell me."
He doesn’t have a heart
Mr Trump speculated the speech had been written by Hillary Clinton's Democratic campaign and said if he could tell Mr Khan anything it would be that America is at risk of "radical Islamic terrorism".
As the Republican prepares to enter the White House, Mrs Khan has once again hit out at the soon to be president.
In an interview, broadcast by BBC Newsnight on Thursday, she explained why she decided to say silent.
“I was quiet because of the situation, it is hard for me,” she said as she began to cry.
“So I thought if he can’t see the pain that I was going through on the stage, he can’t feel anything.”
Mrs Khan’s son, US Army Capt Humayun Khan, was killed while trying to fend off a suicide bomber in 2004 in Iraq at the age of 27.
He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star - two US military honours - for his heroic actions which saved countless colleagues.
As she continued her emotional interview, she accused the president-elect of not acknowledging the sacrifices made.
“He doesn’t have a heart,” she said. "So, that was a really a surprise for me. We have lost a son, we have gave our son to this country, our country, to protect us and he is not recognising that pain.
“So, it was very much a surprise for me.”
Donald Trump's inauguration: What ACTUALLY happens
Washington has been put on lockdown as Mr Trump prepares to take centre stage as he is inaugurated as the 45th US president.
As he is officially sworn in at a ceremony on Friday afternoon, thousands of armed officers will scour a seven-kilometre radius of the US Capitol.
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said an estimated 28,000 personnel from Washington and around the nation would be fanned out across the city.