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Obama to Republican leaders: Why are you still endorsing Trump?

US President Barack Obama today slammed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, saying he is “unfit to serve as president” as he does not abide by norms and rules.

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A terrorist attack just before the American presidential polls in November could result in a win for Republican candidate Donald Trump, said an expert on the Middle East. The latest being Trump’s flap with the Khan family, the parents of Army Capt. Humayun Khan, who was killed in Iraq in 2004.

Obama’s comments echoed the stinging rebuke he delivered last week in a prime-time address at the Democratic National Convention. But Obama argued that isn’t enough.

“If you are repeatedly having to say, in very strong terms, that what he has said in unacceptable, why are you still endorsing him?”

Although the White House press conference with Loong was ostensibly about trade and the president’s attempt to salvage the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, the first question Obama fielded from reporters was about Trump’s still-simmering feud with the Khans, and what it says about the celebrity billionaire’s qualification for office.

‘What does this say about your party that this is your standard-bearer?’ Instead, it was Trump stunningly withholding his support from top GOP lawmakers, including House Speaker Paul Ryan. He said the material falls either into “the risky lane”, such as Trump’s praise for dictators like Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, or “the jerk lane”, like his insults and demeaning behavior. Ryan has been among those urging Republicans to rally around Trump, despite concerns about his candidacy. “He’s a war hero, ’cause he was captured”, Trump said of McCain. “And we are confident in a victory next week regardless”.

McCain more explicit: Sen. She said “when the party regains its sanity”, she would return to the GOP. Bradshaw, a close adviser to Bush, also said if the presidential race in Florida is close, she will vote for Clinton come Election Day.

Khizr Khan criticized Trump’s call for a temporary ban on Muslims coming to the United States and challenged whether he had read the Constitution.

Trump questioned whether Mrs. Khan did not speak at the convention because she was prevented from doing so by her religion and he characterised Mr. Khan’s criticism of him as “vicious”.

The statement could be an effort by Trump to lay the groundwork of an excuse if he goes on to lose the general election. Those who have worked with him say that in private meetings he can often appear amenable to putting a controversy aside. But the businessman can quickly be drawn back in by an interview, especially if he believes he’s already answered the question, or if he grows irritated by commentary on cable television.

Trump’s unwillingness to let the matter subside sparked outrage Monday from a chorus of Republicans. “If we could get along with Russian Federation, wouldn’t that be a good thing, instead of a bad thing?”

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“Hillary voted for the Iraq war”, Trump tweeted, “not me!” Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt said the Khans “deserve to be heard and respected”. “The fact that this has not yet happened makes some of these denunciations ring hollow”, Obama said.

Obama says Trump 'unfit' to serve, slams GOP for still endorsing him