(CNN) The Veterans of Foreign Wars blasted Donald Trump Monday and a group of Gold Star families of fallen service members demanded he apologize for comments about the parents of a slain Muslim U.S. solider.

"Election year or not, the VFW will not tolerate anyone berating a Gold Star family member for exercising his or her right of speech or expression," said Brian Duffy, who was elected July 27 to lead the nation's oldest and largest major war veterans organization.

"There are certain sacrosanct subjects that no amount of wordsmithing can repair once crossed," added Duffy, the national commander of the near 1.7 million-member Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and its Auxiliary.

"Giving one's life to nation is the greatest sacrifice, followed closely by all Gold Star families, who have a right to make their voices heard."

The VFW statement came just hours after a group of Gold Star families wrote to Trump.

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