Updated at 11:49 a.m.to include reaction from Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
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He then added: “He is the founder of ISIS”. “I don’t think I’ve made too many errors”, he told CNBC.
“And I would say, the co-founder would be crooked Hillary Clinton”, he added.
“Everyone’s liking it. I think they’re liking it”, Trump said.
As for who founded ISIS (spoiler: it’s not Obama) Graeme Wood’s brilliant 2015 Atlantic essay thoroughly investigates the origins of the Islamic State. Trump first made the assertion in a speech Wednesday night in Florida. He called Clinton the “founder of ISIS” earlier this month.
The Islamic State group began as Iraq’s local affiliate of al-Qaida, the group that attacked the US on September 11, 2001.
“No, I meant he’s the founder of ISIS”, Trump said.
Trump replied: “I don’t care”.
Clinton’s campaign also tweeted Thursday afternoon: “No, Barack Obama is not the founder of ISIS”.
“Every single one of these incidents shows us that Donald Trump simply does not have the temperament to be president and commander in chief of the United States”.
The White House did not respond Thursday to Trump’s latest controversy.
Donald Trump addresses supporters before announcing his vice presidential selection. He said Christians, who make up a majority of the American electorate, need to have their voices heard. “They get out”, Trump told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer in 2007.
Trump’s statement was an escalation in his recent criticism of the Obama administration’s handling of the terror threat, as he had previously accused only Clinton of having a “founding” role in the terror group.
Clinton’s campaign also ripped Trump’s comments as damaging to the country, in a statement from policy adviser Jake Sullivan.
“Take a look at Orlando”. There’s nothing that we’re going to be able to do with a civil war. I give him the most valuable player award. That’s what it was. I do nnot like her temperament because she’s weak.
SHAPIRO: NPR’s Sam Sanders on the campaign trail with Donald Trump, thanks as always.
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The Democratic National Committee lambasted Trump’s remarks as “outrageous, unhinged and patently false”. That led to Corker almost joining Trump on the presidential ticket; Corker later bowed out of consideration, saying he would be better suited for a cabinet position. He acknowledged the possibility he could lose the race. It came the same day the billionaire celebrity acknowledged that his lack of political correctness could cost him the election if Americans reject his blunt approach.
