House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.) said Wednesday that Democratic Congressman Luis Gutiérrez (Ill.) owes White House Chief of Staff General John Kelly an apology after he said the retired Marine Corps general is a "disgrace to the uniform he used to wear."
McCarthy began a press conference Wednesday by calling on Gutiérrez to apologize for a "disgraceful" attack earlier this month.
"General Kelly is a retired general – the highest-ranking service member to ever lose a child in battle," McCarthy said. "General Kelly has served his country in the Marines, he is serving his country again in this administration, he is truly an American patriot. Now, what is disgraceful, is to attack the character of such an honorable man who has dedicated his life to serving this country."
Gutiérrez' attack on Kelly came after Attorney General Jeff Sessions made the announcement that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigrant amnesty executive action, previously implemented under former president Barack Obama, would be rescinded. He said that by allowing Trump to make such a decision, Kelly was breaking a promise he made to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to protect DACA and the "Dreamers."
McCarthy disagreed.
"I believe that Representative Gutierrez owes General Kelly and his family an apology," McCarthy said.
Kelly also responded to the rebuke, saying "the congressman has a right to his opinion," but Congress had done "nothing" for the "Dreamers" when it had the opportunity.