Photo: AP

Just hours after The New York Times published a story noting Mike Pence’s conspicuous silence on Donald Trump’s ongoing feud with the parents of a slain Muslim soldier, the Indiana Governor released a statement on Sunday claiming that, actually, Trump respects Khizr and Ghazala Khan a whole bunch.

“Donald Trump and I believe that Captain Humayun Khan is an American hero and his family, like all Gold Star families, should be cherished by every American,” wrote Pence. “By suspending immigration from countries that have been compromised by terrorism, rebuilding our military, defeating ISIS at its source and projecting strength on the global stage, we will reduce the likelihood that other American families will face the enduring heartbreak of the Khan family.”

Strangely, however, Trump has shown little appreciation for the Khans himself, only praising the couple’s son after receiving criticism for his comments and continuing to defend his insulting remarks on Twitter Sunday morning.

If Donald Trump does believe that the Khans deserve to be honored by every American, he apparently thinks having someone else do it for him counts.