GOP candidate Trump goes after Sen. John McCain's war record

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump criticized Arizona Sen. John McCain's military record today, saying he was a "war hero because he was captured."

Speaking at a conference of religious conservatives in Iowa, Trump was pressed on his recent description of the 2008 Republican presidential nominee as "a dummy."

McCain served as a Navy pilot during the Vietnam War. He was captured after his plane was shot down and was held more than five years as a prisoner of war. The moderator, Republican pollster Frank Luntz, described McCain as "a war hero."

Trump said McCain "is a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured." The comment drew some boos from the audience.

During a news conference after his appearance, Trump did not apologize but sought to clarify his remarks.

"If a person is captured, they're a hero as far as I'm concerned. ... But you have to do other things also," Trump said. "I don't like the job John McCain is doing in the Senate because he is not taking care of our veterans."

A spokesman for McCain, Brian Rogers, said no comment when asked about Trumps remarks.

Trump said he avoided service in the Vietnam War through student and medical deferments, adding that he did not serve because he "was not a big fan of the Vietnam war. I wasn't a protester, but the Vietnam war was a disaster for our country."