Kansas City, Mo., mayoral candidate Jason Kander (D), in an interview that aired on Hill.TV’s “Rising” on Tuesday, slammed President Trump’s definition of patriotism and called for him to be more inclusive.
“You have a president who is trying to define patriotism as whether or not you can make everybody stand and salute the flag, and I think one of the things that I learned in the service is that patriotism is actually about making this a country where everyone wants to stand and salute the flag,” Kander told Hill.TV’s Jamal Simmons at an Opportunity 2020 conference last week.
The former Missouri secretary of state, who is a combat veteran, made headlines in his 2016 Senate campaign when he hit back against questions about his support for the Second Amendment by releasing a campaign ad showing him assembling a rifle blindfolded.
Kander nearly defeated Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) in the contest, sparking speculation of a 2020 White House bid.
However, he announced his candidacy for Kansas City mayor last month.
“Kansas Citians deserve a mayor who can guide the progress already underway in our city and help us reach the next level,” Kander said in his campaign announcement.
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