ABC Host Grills Trump On Whether He Thinks Obama Is A Muslim

Photo by: Dennis Van Tine/STAR MAX/IPx 9/3/15 Donald Trump Press Conference. (NYC)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

ABC “This Week” host George Stephanopoulos grilled Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump Sunday on whether he thought President Obama was a Muslim.

Trump had pressured President Obama to release his birth certificate during his campaign for the presidency.

More recently, Trump did not correct a town hall audience member when he said that President Obama was a Muslim. He spent time on his Sunday TV morning news appearances defending the decision.

“So for the record, was President Obama born in the United States?” Stephanopoulos asked Trump Sunday.

“Well, you know, I don’t get into it, George. I think about jobs,” Trump replied. “I’m talking about the military. I don’t get into it. I mean they ask that question and I just want to talk about the things, because frankly, it’s of no longer interest to me. We’re beyond that. And it’s just something I don’t talk about.”

Trump continued to try and change the subject.

“I want to talk about the military,” he said. “I want to talk about the vets and how badly they’re treated. I want to talk about jobs.”

But Stephanopoulos didn’t let up.

“Well, the way to get beyond it is to answer yes or no,” Stephanopoulos said. “Do you believe this…”

“Well, that’s — that’s possible, but I don’t get into it and I just don’t talk about it,” Trump interjected.

“So — and even though you’ve raised questions and you’ve investigated this in the past, you’re still…” Stephanopoulos said.

“Well, you know, people thought I should have defended,” Trump said. “Some people thought I should have defended the president in terms of the question that was asked the other night.”

“President Obama was born in the United States. You’ve raised it many times. And he’s not a Muslim?” Stephanopoulos asked again.

“George, you have raised the question,” Trump replied. “I haven’t raised the question. I don’t talk about it and I don’t like talking about somebody else’s faith. He talks about his faith and he can do that. But I don’t talk about other people’s faith. It’s not appropriate for me to talk about somebody else’s faith.”

Latest Livewire
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: