Michael Hernandez
11 August 2016•Update: 12 August 2016
By Michael Hernandez
WASHINGTON
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump refused to back down Thursday from claims President Barack Obama founded Daesh.
Trump first made the claim Wednesday at a campaign rally in Florida, saying that the terror group honors Obama.
"He's the founder of ISIS. He's the founder of ISIS. He's the founder. He founded ISIS," he said referring to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, another name for Daesh.
During a series of media interviews Thursday Trump refused to relent, adamantly insisting the American president is Daesh’s founder.
“I don't care,” he said during a radio interview with conservative personality Hugh Hewitt after Hewitt stated that Obama hates Daesh and is “trying to kill them.
“He was the founder. His, the way he got out of Iraq was that was the founding of ISIS, okay?” Trump replied insisting that terming Obama Daesh’s “founder” is “no mistake.
“Everyone’s liking it. I think they’re liking it. I give him the most valuable player award. And I give it to him, and I give it to, I gave the co-founder to Hillary,” he added, referring to his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
The Democratic nominee turned to Twitter to respond, saying, “Anyone willing to sink so low, so often should never be allowed to serve as our Commander-in-Chief.”
Trump defended his unorthodox campaign style, telling CNBC that he will either win November's general election without changing course or have a "very, very nice long vacation.
"I'm a truth teller. All I do is tell the truth. And if at the end of 90 days, I've fallen short because I'm somewhat politically correct even though I'm supposed to be the smart one and even though I'm supposed to have a lot of good ideas, it's OK," he said. "I go back to a very good way of life."
The sensational comments are the latest in such a string that has run throughout Trump’s campaign. His campaign has taken a significant dip after Trump went after the family of a decorated Muslim Army captain who was killed while serving in Iraq.
In the wake of a deadly attack in June at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, Trump seemed to suggest Obama conspires with Daesh when he told Fox News that Obama “doesn't get it, or he gets it better than anybody understands."
The U.S., under Obama, has led a coalition of 60 nations to go after the group’s strongholds in Iraq and Syria, and Washington has separately begun an air campaign to strike Daesh in Libya.
The coalition said yesterday that its two-year efforts have slain approximately 45,000 Daesh fighters in Iraq and Syria, reducing their numbers to 15,000-30,000.
