Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump says that he encouraged Sarah Palin to mention her son's recent domestic violence arrest at his rally Wednesday in Tulsa, Okla. The former Alaska governor went on to blame President Obama for her eldest son's post-traumatic stress disorder, an ailment she suggested caused him to allegedly attack his girlfriend Monday night.
Trump, speaking to CNN's Don Lemon in an interview just hours after the rally, said he suggested the comments and thought they would be appropriate, reported CBS News.
"I thought it would be appropriate," Trump said. "There was tremendous press, and I think it's something that's very important to discuss - not even for her son, but for so many other sons and daughters that are coming back from the Middle East, where they have, you know, traumatic problems."
When asked if it was fair for the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee to link Obama to her son's PTSD, Trump responded, "Oh, I think so. Look, you know, everything starts at the top. He's the president. And I think you can certainly do that."
Trump pointed to the "bad and horrible care our veterans get" at the Veterans Administration. "Take a look at the Phoenix Veterans Administration in Phoenix, Arizona. It's a disgrace," he said. "It's a cesspool. It's dishonest and corrupt in every way and incompetent. You have to say ultimately it's the president's charge."
Paul Rieckhoff, head of the non-partisan Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, criticized Palin's comments on Wednesday, according to NBC News.
"It's not President Obama's fault that Sarah Palin's son has PTSD," Rieckhoff said, asking her to "resist the urge to politicize" PTSD.
"PTSD is a very serious problem, a complicated mental health injury, and I would be extremely reluctant to blame any one person in particular," he added. "It's important to recognize that Track may need help like many veterans. This is a great opportunity for Sarah Palin to sound the alarm about PTSD. Now that she has endorsed Mr. Trump, I would encourage her to talk with him about it. Mr. Trump's campaign is pretty light on specifics about what he would do for veterans."
Track Palin, 26, was arrested Monday in Wasilla, Alaska, after allegedly hitting his girlfriend in the face, kicking her in the knee and threatening suicide. He was charged with fourth-degree assault, interfering with the report of domestic violence and possession of a firearm while intoxicated, which are all class A misdemeanors, according to the New York Daily News.
