Trump Says He’s Not ‘Morally Obligated’ To Defend Obama

Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump waves to supporters as he takes the stage for a campaign event in Dallas, Monday, Sept. 14, 2015. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

After he was criticized for failing to correct a town hall audience member who said that President Obama is a Muslim and not an American, Donald Trump on Saturday morning defended himself, arguing that it was not necessary to address statements made about the President.

During a town hall in New Hampshire on Thursday night, a member of the audience asked a question about “training camps” for Muslims, adding that Obama isn’t an American and is a Muslim himself.

Trump nodded along during the question, and then he replied, “We’re going to be looking at that and plenty of other things.”

Shortly after the town hall, Trump released a statement to the Washington Post defending his actions.

“The media wants to make this issue about Obama. The bigger issue is that Obama is waging war against Christians in this country. Their religious liberty is at stake,” Trump said in the statement.

Following the town hall, both Democrats and Republicans criticized Trump for not sticking up for the President. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Trump’s fellow presidential candidate, suggested that Trump’s past statements questioning whether Obama was born in the U.S. influenced those who still believe Obama is not an American.

“Mr. Trump in many ways is responsible for this, by creating this idea that maybe Obama was born in Kenya, not Hawaii,” Graham said on Friday. “Saying that most illegal immigrants are rapists and drug dealers. He’s playing into this hateful narrative. It’s now time for him to set it right.”

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: