--- title: Sarah Palin Denies Blaming President Obama for Her Son's PTSD description: "What did I say that is offensive?" canonical: https://time.com/4202775/sarah-palin-obama-son-ptsd/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-02-01T18:02:03.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-22T14:39:01.580Z article:section: Politics og:title: Sarah Palin Denies Blaming President Obama for Her Son's PTSD og:description: "What did I say that is offensive?" og:url: https://time.com/4202775/sarah-palin-obama-son-ptsd/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltccbb43c4f70bf9e8/69887b9f3c163927cd45bd1b/sarah-palin-son-ptsd-obama.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Donald Trump Makes Campaign Swing Through Iowa og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Sarah Palin Denies Blaming President Obama for Her Son's PTSD twitter:description: "What did I say that is offensive?" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltccbb43c4f70bf9e8/69887b9f3c163927cd45bd1b/sarah-palin-son-ptsd-obama.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Sarah Palin Denies Blaming President Obama for Her Son's PTSD by [Char Adams / People](https://time.com/author/people/) ## Char Adams / People Feb 1, 2016 6:02 PM UTC  Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin speaks at Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center at Iowa State University on Jan. 19, 2016 in Ames, IA. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin speaks at Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center at Iowa State University on Jan. 19, 2016 in Ames, IA.Aaron P. Bernstein—Getty Images by [Char Adams / People](https://time.com/author/people/) ## Char Adams / People Feb 1, 2016 6:02 PM UTC [Sarah Palin](http://www.people.com/people/news/category/0,,personsTax:SarahPalin,00.html) says she never blamed [President Obama](http://www.people.com/people/news/category/0,,personsTax:BarackObama,00.html) for her son’s post traumatic stress disorder. Palin appeared on the [_Today_](http://www.today.com/news/sarah-palin-talks-iowa-gop-controversial-ptsd-comments-t70256) show on Monday in her first live interview since[endorsing](http://www.people.com/article/sarah-palin-endorses-donald-trump-president) [Donald Trump](http://www.people.com/people/news/category/0,,personsTax:DonaldTrump,00.html). But the 51-year-old seemed caught off guard – and irritated – when asked about her statements suggesting that [Obama is to blame](http://www.people.com/article/sarah-palin-son-arrest-ptsd-obama-vets) for her oldest son, Track’s, PTSD. “I never blamed President Obama,” she said. “What did I say that is offensive? I don’t regret any comment that I made because I didn’t lay PTSD at the foot of the president.” The statement comes days after Palin suggested at a rally for the presidential hopeful that PTSD, as well as Obama’s lack of “respect” for veterans, each played a role in Track’s recent [arrest for domestic violence](http://www.people.com/article/sarah-palins-son-arrested-charged-with-assault). The former Alaska governor seemed frustrated with hosts [Matt Lauer](http://www.people.com/people/news/category/0,,personsTax:MattLauer,00.html) and [Savannah Guthrie](http://www.people.com/people/news/category/0,,personsTax:SavannahGuthrie,00.html) when they asked about the controversial comments. “You guys brought me here to talk about Iowa politics and the caucus tonight, not to talk about my kids. And that was a promise,” she said. “But, as things go in the world of media, you guys don’t always keep your promises evidently.” However, Lauer said the controversial comments weren’t off limits. “There were no specific promises made about content of the interview, only that this would be your first interview since you endorsed Donald Trump,” Lauer responded. Palin continued to hold that she did not blame the president for her son’s issues, but added that she did suggest “very adamantly” that Obama could do “much more” to prove that he respects troops. “What I have blamed President Obama in doing, though, is this level of disrespect for the United States military that is made manifest in getting budgets,” Palin said. “In not trying to beef it up and let our military do the job that they are trying to do.” Palin did get to praise Trump, though – although she noted that she has supported [Ted Cruz](http://www.people.com/article/donald-trump-questions-ted-cruz-american-citizenship-gop-debate) in the past and wants to keep him in the senate. “I want Donald Trump to be our president,” she said, and noted that she hopes voters aren’t trying to find the “Christian-y, godliest” candidate. “People are looking for he who has that record of success that proves he’s going to be able to get the job done for us finally.” She also compared the presidential hopeful to [Ronald Reagan](http://www.people.com/people/news/category/0,,personsTax:RonaldReagan,00.html) who, she said, was once a registered Democrat “and then he saw the light.” _This_ [_article_](http://www.people.com/article/sarah-palin-donald-trump-obama-ptsd-son-today-show) _originally appeared on_ [_People.com_](http://people.com) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4202775/sarah-palin-obama-son-ptsd/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4202775/sarah-palin-obama-son-ptsd/"},"headline":"Sarah Palin Denies Blaming President Obama for Her Son's PTSD","datePublished":"2016-02-01T18:02:03.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T14:39:01.580Z","description":"\"What did I say that is offensive?\"","url":"https://time.com/4202775/sarah-palin-obama-son-ptsd/","keywords":["2016 Election topic","Barack Obama","today show","Donald Trump","People","Sarah Palin"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltccbb43c4f70bf9e8/69887b9f3c163927cd45bd1b/sarah-palin-son-ptsd-obama.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Char Adams / People"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltccbb43c4f70bf9e8/69887b9f3c163927cd45bd1b/sarah-palin-son-ptsd-obama.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Donald Trump Makes Campaign Swing Through Iowa","caption":"Former Alaska Gov. 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