Jeb Bush tweeted Thursday that he was praying for the hundreds of “innocent Muslims” who were killed in a stampede during the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
“Praying for the hundreds of innocent Muslims who suffered a tragic death in the stampede in Mecca during the Hajj pilgrimage,” the former Florida governor wrote Thursday evening.
Bush’s tweet comes after fellow Republican presidential hopefuls Donald Trump and Ben Carson came under criticism for comments about Muslims over the past week. Trump came under fire for not challenging a supporter at a town hall event who said President Barack Obama was a Muslim and not an American, and Carson raised eyebrows when he said Sunday that a Muslim should not be president.
Bush responded to Trump on Friday during a campaign stop in Michigan.
“By the way, (Obama is) an American, he’s a Christian. His problem isn’t that he was born here or what his religion is, his problem is that he tears down anyone that disagrees with him,” Bush said.
Later Thursday, Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton also tweeted her condolences.
“Wishing a blessed Eid to those celebrating Eid Al-Adha. My thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the tragedy in Mecca today. -H”
