Trump torched as ‘thug’ for threatening sick families with ‘extortion’

President Donald Trump drew swift condemnation from critics after making a promise to ailing families that came with a political string attached.On Tuesday, Trump vowed that his administration would settle outstanding claims from people sickened by toxic water at Camp Lejeune, the Marine Corps base in North Carolina, but only if Republicans prevail in both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections."If we win the House and Senate, I am directing the Department of Justice to settle all remaining legitimate claims as soon as possible," the president declared in a clip that journalist Aaron Rupar shared on X. "If we don't win, there's no money."Congress passed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act in 2022, opening the door for people exposed to the base's contaminated water between 1953 and 1987 to seek compensation in federal court. Many families have spent years waiting for those cases to be resolved.Critics wasted little time tearing...