The campaign said Clinton “disagrees” with the Mateen’s views and disavows his support. “You sort of know the campaign”, Trump said at the rally in Sunshine, Florida.
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How did Seddique Mateen, the father of the Orlando terrorist who attacked a gay nightclub killing 50 people, end up on stage directly behind Hillary Clinton?
Seddique Mateen told local media he believed Mrs Clinton should be the next President.
The Washington Post reported Mateeen made a $250 donation to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2015 and he likely was on party’s mailing lists.
Seddique Mateen, a self-professed devout Muslim, also condemned homosexuality.
Mateen told news outlets after the rally that he loves “the United States”.
At approximately 2 a.m. on June 11, Omar Mateen opened fire on Pulse nightclub in a three-hour siege that left 49 attendees dead and 53 wounded in the worst mass shooting in recent USA history.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigated Foley, but did not pursue charges, citing “insufficient evidence”.
Before shooting and killing 49 people at a gay nightclub, Omar Mateen pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and identified himself as an “Islamic soldier” in multiple 911 calls to police.
Seddique Mateen may have been saddened his son’s action’s in Orlando, but the father has previously expressed anti-American sentiments and has even been sympathetic to the Taliban.
Clinton even mentioned the mass killing as Mr Mateen stood smiling behind her.
Hansen had a different perspective, telling Orlando’s News 6, “You can’t blame a parent for what a child has done”.
“I know how many people, families, loved ones, and friends are still grieving, and we will be with you as you rebuild your lives”, she said.
“We can’t ever let that kind of hatred and violence break the spirit, break the soul of any place in America”, she said.
Mateen reportedly didn’t want to do the interview at first, but WPTV caught up with him again at a rest stop as they were headed back to West Palm Beach after the rally. When asked about Clinton’s comments, he said, “We’ve been cooperating with the federal government, and that’s about it”.
When asked about attending an event so soon after the incident on 12 June 2016, he said: “I spoke a lot about that and wish that my son joined the Army and fought Isis”.
“That would be much better”, he told WPTV.
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The Clinton campaign has disavowed Mateen’s support and explained that the rally was an open event with minimal screening and that campaign officials were unaware that Mateen had attended until after it had concluded.
