Donald J. Trump needs to take a lesson from the latest Republican president, George W. Bush.

He needs one. He won’t do so. This is a fellow who’s never sought forgiveness. Isn’t that what he’s told us?

The GOP’s current presidential nominee has said that the parents of U.S. Army Capt. Humayun Khan have “no right” to speak out against his candidacy for the presidency. The Khans stood before the Democratic National Convention, where Khzir Khan gave an impassioned speech against Trump’s candidacy.

They are Gold Star parents. They are U.S. citizens. They are Muslims. Their son died in Iraq in 2004 while protecting his men from enemy fire.

Flash back to when President Bush was in office.

Cindy Sheehan is another Gold Star mother who protested outside the president’s Central Texas ranch for nearly 30 days while the president was taking some time away from the Oval Office. Her son died in Iraq. Sheehan protested the president’s war policy. She accused the president of lying the nation into war.

What was President Bush’s response? He said he “sympathizes” with Cindy Sheehan. He also said that she has every right to speak out. “This is America,” he said, noting that citizens are guaranteed the right to speak against the government.

Trump said a Gold Star family has “no right” to speak out against him. Bush said another Gold Star family enjoys the rights of citizenship to protest his policies against the war.

Which one of them has responded appropriately?

Let’s see. I believe I’ll go with George W. Bush.

The longer Trump continues his beef with the Kzhir and Ghazala Khan, the longer the backlash will continue … and build.

And the longer he will continue to disgrace himself.