"He was the general fighting ISIS. I would say he hasn't done so well, right?” Trump said. | AP Photo Trump rips ‘failed’ Gen. Allen in rebuttal to DNC criticism

Donald Trump continued his counteroffensive against speakers who criticized him at the Democratic National Convention Friday night, blasting retired four-star General John Allen for having "failed" in the battle against the Islamic State.

Speaking at a rally in Denver, Colorado – his third of the day – Trump began by mocking the lack of “star power” of the Democratic convention and touting the television viewership of Republican National Convention that took place a week prior.


“I think my kids had more star power, I really do, than anybody I saw [at the convention],” the recently nominated Republican presidential candidate said.

Trump then proceeded to pounce on criticisms levied against him by Allen, who Thursday night gave an impassioned speech framing Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton as a leader who possessed the needed experience to helm the United States military.

“They had a general named John Allen. I never met him, and he got up and started talking about Trump, Trump, Trump,” the Republican nominee said before unleashing his counterassault.

“You know who he is? He’s a failed general. He was the general fighting ISIS. I would say he hasn't done so well, right?” Trump said.

Allen, who commanded troops in Afghanistan and worked with Clinton during her tenure as secretary of state, painted Trump as an inexperienced and self-interested candidate who stood on the wrong side of issues like torture.

“I also know that with her as our commander in chief, our international relations will not be reduced to a business transaction,” he said on the last night of the Democratic National Convention. “I also know that our armed forces will not become an instrument of torture, and they will not be engaged in murder, or carry out other illegal activities.”

The Allen rebuttal by Trump continued a coordinated effort by his campaign to reject claims made against him at the Democratic convention, including painting Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton as weak on terror. It also shows a reversal in strategy by Trump, who a night prior at an Iowa rally said he had weighed hitting back against speakers at the DNC, before opting against it.

“I wanted hit a couple of those speakers so hard. I was going to hit them. I was all set,” Trump said, before ultimately reverting to his confrontational ways.

Clinton in turn hit back at Trump on Saturday, tweeting that, "Our Commander-in-Chief shouldn’t insult and deride our generals, retired or otherwise. That really should go without saying."

Trump also expressed support for calls to block Clinton from having access to confidential information while campaigning for the presidency, tweeting: "Hillary Clinton should not be given national security briefings in that she is a lose cannon with extraordinarily bad judgement & insticts."

Hillary Clinton should not be given national security briefings in that she is a lose cannon with extraordinarily bad judgement & insticts. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 30, 2016



