WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the U.S. presidential race (all times EDT):

8:10 a.m.

A spokeswoman for Donald Trump has blamed Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for the 2004 killing of U.S. Army Capt. Humayun Khan in Iraq — even though the death occurred more than four years before Obama became president.

Trump has been in a public fight with Khan's parents after Khan's father criticized the Republican nominee at last week's Democratic convention.

In an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer Tuesday evening, Katrina Pierson said, "It was under Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton that changed the rules of engagements that probably cost his life."

Obama was a state senator in Illinois in 2004. Clinton was a senator representing New York. She voted in favor of the Iraq War in 2002.

Trump has been widely criticized, including by many Republicans, for denouncing the Khans, who are Muslim-Americans.

Pierson's comments have become a trending topic under #KatrinaPiersonHistory. She touched on the controversy herself on Twitter by writing that she'll make history by getting Trump elected president.

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7:15 a.m.

Donald Trump says there's "great unity" in his campaign —despite growing dissent and turmoil among his fellow Republicans.

Trump tweeted Wednesday that the campaign unity is "perhaps greater than ever before."

That comes as he continues to face criticism from Republican lawmakers for attacking the Muslim-American parents of a U.S. Army captain killed in Iraq. The soldier's father had criticized Trump at last week's Democratic convention.

On Tuesday, Meg Whitman, a prominent Republican fundraiser and former Hewlett-Packard executive said she would back Democrat Hillary Clinton. Also, Rep. Richard Hanna of New York became the first Republican member of Congress to say he will vote for Clinton.

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3:30 a.m.

Donald Trump is openly taunting the leaders of his own party by refusing to endorse House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and Sen. John McCain of Arizona in their GOP primaries.

And so far, McCain, Ryan and other Republicans who've reluctantly declared that they plan to back Trump for president appear to be sticking with him.

Trump's stunning slap at two of the nation's most prominent Republicans dramatically escalated GOP turmoil barely a week after a convention intended to promote party unity.

With the general election campaign now squarely underway, Republicans found themselves once again forced to answer questions about the latest boundary-defying pronouncement from Trump at a moment when most would rather be talking about Hillary Clinton's record.