Trump Jr. Insists His Father Denounced Birtherism Despite Recent Dodge

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Donald Trump Jr. on Friday morning repeatedly insisted that his father has said that President Obama was born in the United States, despite the Republican nominee’s refusal to do so when asked Wednesday night.

“Why can’t he and won’t he say that President Obama was born in the U.S.?” George Stephanopoulos, co-host of ABC’s “Good Morning America,” asked Trump Jr. on Friday, referencing Trump’s interview with the Washington Post.

“I think he said it last night,” Trump Jr. replied.

“He didn’t say it last night,” Stephanopoulos hit back.

Trump Jr. then said that his father denounced his birtherism through a statement from his spokesperson Thursday night, saying that Trump was involved in drafting the statement.

“His campaign spokesperson, who he was speaking to last night, and I was with the team when they were doing it, drafted a statement to say just that,” he said, adding that Trump does not want to get “off message” or discuss “gossip.”

“But he’s the only person who can put this to rest,” Stephanopoulos said in response. “Your father has not said himself, ‘Yes, President Obama was born in the U.S. I was wrong to question it.'”

Trump Jr. again insisted that the statement from spokesman Jason Miller was coming from Trump.

Stephanopoulos noted that Trump’s campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway said last week that Trump believes Obama was born in the U.S., but that when Trump is asked, he “refuses to do it” himself.

“This is coming from him,” Trump Jr. said in response. “And I was involved in those conversations.”

When Stephanopoulos asked if Trump will address it himself, Trump Jr. said, “I don’t know but this is — this should be the definitive end of it.” He again said that Trump doesn’t want to talk about “gossip.”

“Well, he’s been talking about it for years, but he can end it by simply saying, ‘Yes, the President was born in the United States. I was wrong to question it,'” Stephanopoulos replied.

Trump Jr. still insisted that Trump denounced his birtherism in the statement issued Thursday night.

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