Trump Signs Bill Naming Post Office After Army Captain Humayun Khan

An image of deceased U.S. Army Capt. Humayun S. M. Khan is displayed on a screen as his father Khizr Khan delivers remarks on the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center, in Philadelphia, Penn., on July 28, 2016. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

President Donald Trump signed a bill into law on Dec. 21, naming a post office after fallen Army Captain Humayun Khan, whose father criticized the then-candidate in a 2016 Democratic National Convention speech.

The bill names a post office at 180 McCormick Road in Charlottesville, Virginia, as the Captain Humayun Khan Post Office, according to a White House statement. It was introduced by Rep. Tom Garrett (R-Va.) and was unanimously passed in the House on Nov. 29, and in the Senate on Dec. 12.

“I hope this will serve as a tribute to their memory and to remind everyone of our selfless service men and women who put on this nation’s cloth every day to defend our nation,” Garrett said in a statement after the bill passed in the House.

Trump alluded to the signing of the bill, along with many other bills, in a tweet on Dec. 21. He said, “some of the many Bills that I am signing in the Oval Office right now.”

Senators Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) released a joint statement celebrating the signing, saying “we’re showing the Khan family that we’re forever grateful for his service and sacrifice for our country.”

“Captain Khan is revered not only in Charlottesville but across the nation,” the senators said.

Khan was a graduate of the University of Virginia and died at the age of 27 while in service to his country during an operation in Iraq on June 8, 2004. He was killed 120 days into his tour by an improvised explosive device outside of his base in Baqubah. At the time, Khan was inspecting a guard post when a taxicab began approaching quickly. Upon seeing this, he ordered his subordinates away and ran toward the vehicle, which exploded. His efforts saved the lives of more than one hundred soldiers.

He was posthumously awarded a purple heart and bronze star, and was also buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetary.

During the 2016 presidential elections, the army captain’s father, Khizr Khan, criticized Trump for his comments on Muslim immigration. The then-candidate fired back at Khan, sparking a feud between the two men.

However, in a later statement, Trump said Humayun Khan was “a hero to our country and we should honor all who have made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our country safe.”

“The real problem here are the radical Islamic terrorists who killed him, and the efforts of these radicals to enter our country to do us further harm. Given the state of the world today, we have to know everything about those looking to enter our country, and given the state of chaos in some of these countries, that is impossible,” Trump said at the time.

Meanwhile, Khizr became involved with Democratic campaign and fundraising efforts, according to The Hill.

Garrett plans to hold a ceremony at the Charlottesville post office before leaving public office in January.