Outgoing New York City Police Commissioner Bill Bratton told “CBS This Morning” on Wednesday that Donald Trump “scares the hell out of me.”
Bratton told co-hosts Gayle King, Charlie Rose and Norah O’Donnell that he didn’t understand the support for the Republican candidate given Trump’s “lack of depth on issues” and he questioned Trump’s decision not to apologize to the the family of fallen war hero Humayan Khan.
“Tough guy. I wonder if he’s ever actually taken a punch in his life, an actual, physical punch,” Bratton said of Trump. “I’m always amazed by people who are portrayed as tough guys or portray themselves as tough. It’s easy being tough, it really is being tough.”
Bratton will step down in September to take a job with a private advisory firm after a 45-year career in law enforcement.
Bratton’s comments came after Trump attacked Muslim Americans Khizr and Ghazala Khan, who spoke out against the GOP nominee at last week’s Democratic National Convention. Trump’s dismissive comments about the family have created a firestorm and led many leading Republican leaders to distance themselves from their presidential nominee.
“It’s a lot tougher being soft and understanding when you need to be soft. Like, the apology to this family,” Bratton said. “What would be the harm rather than taking offense that they said something bad about you, to understand their pain? I mean, isn’t that the issue? There’s no compassion there, it’s all about him and never about anybody else. Strange times.”
It’s safe to assume Bratton is a tough guy, as he has been a cop in Boston, Los Angeles and New York. However, he admits to being scared of a potential Trump presidency.
“Trump scares me, scares the hell out of me to be quite frank with you. Personal opinion, and I just don’t get it in terms of the support for him. As a veteran, a Vietnam veteran, I’m amazed that veterans’ groups are so charmed by him.”
Bratton also noted that Trump had accepted a Purple Heart from a veteran at a Virginia rally on Tuesday and told the veteran, “I’ve always wanted to get the real Purple Heart. This was much easier.”
“The Purple Heart medal incident was appalling,” he said. “The lack of depth on issues that the shoot from the hip. I’ve just watched this whole campaign and I just shake my head.”