Donald Trump backtracked Friday, August 12, from his assertion that President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton founded the Islamic State group (IS, formerly known as ISIS or the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq), saying he was just being sarcastic. One exception came this month when he acknowledged a video he said showed a plane carrying USA cash to Iran was actually a plane carrying US hostages who were being released.
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Trump’s critics, including 2012 Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and other fellow Republicans, have said his refusal raises questions about his net worth, his charitable contributions, his business dealings and various other ties, including with Russian Federation.
Corker also condemned Trump’s comment that gun rights supporters could do something about Clinton if she’s elected and tries to appoint judges who favor gun control.
Minutes after releasing her returns, Clinton tweeted that it’s possible Trump paid no tax at all.
“Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine continue to set the standard for financial transparency”, Clinton campaign aide Jennifer Palmieri said in a statement.
“No”, Trump said. “I meant he’s the founder of ISIS. I do”.
The Clintons are releasing their 2015 filings on Friday. She says she’s typically awake by 6:30 a.m. and gets news updates on her phone and from advisers. He also said that if he doesn’t become the next commander-in-chief he’ll go back to a “very good way of life”. A candidate who soared to the top of a field of 17 Republican primary contenders in part by provocative declarations finds himself adjusting to a general election in which even some officials in his own party have raised concerns about his temperament.
A new poll showed Trump, whose unfiltered speaking style has repeatedly landed him in hot water, losing ground in three crucial states ahead of the November 8 general election against Clinton.
At a rally on Wednesday, he said that President Barack Obama is “the founder of ISIS”. He later repeated the attack-line at rallies in three US and during an interview Thursday with CNBC.
In a tweet Friday, Trump referred to the Obama-Islamic State remarks as “sarcasm”. If you were walking down the sidewalk and someone coming toward you was screaming those words verbatim, you’d cross the street. Clearly, Trump has made head-scratching comments before. After Hewitt asked if Trump meant that the Obama’s administration’s policies in the Middle East had created a vacuum that gave rise to ISIS, Trump insisted that his statement was literal.
But both Republican Party officials and Trump’s campaign said the meeting was focused on campaign strategy in battleground states like Florida, and not tensions between the campaign and the GOP. The same day, the reality show star acknowledged that his lack of political correctness could cost him the election if Americans reject his blunt approach.
Trump is acknowledging that his presidential campaign is facing challenges and could ultimately fall short.
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The latest firestorm comes as Trump has been trying to refocus his campaign on the economy amid declining poll numbers.
