Trump: ‘We Should Go For Waterboarding And Tougher Than Waterboarding’

Republican presidential candidate, businessman Donald Trump argues a point during a Republican presidential primary debate at Fox Theatre, Thursday, March 3, 2016, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Donald Trump reiterated in Thursday’s Fox News GOP debate that he had no issue with waterboarding — a practice regarded by many legal and military experts as torture — and that he favored going “tougher than waterboarding.”

“They then came to me, what do you think of waterboarding? I said it’s fine. If we want to go stronger, I’d go stronger, too,” Trump said. “Frankly, that’s the way I feel. Can you imagine these people, these animals over in the Middle East that chop off heads, sitting around talking and seeing that we’re having a hard problem with waterboarding? We should go for waterboarding and tougher than waterboarding.”

The statement came after a question about a letter signed by 100 military leaders saying they would not support Trump, and an assertion by former CIA Director Michael Hayden that the military may refuse to follow orders that were illegal.

“They won’t refuse. They’re not going to refuse me. Believe me. They’re illegal,” Trump said.

Latest Livewire
13
Show Comments

Notable Replies

  1. if there is a device that isn’t seen…

  2. They won’t refuse. They’re not going to refuse me. Believe me.

  3. And if you thought Trump was getting soft with maybe, just maybe, expanding legal immigration, here he does his tough guy hard-ass posturing but a few minutes later, ensuring that maybe being nice to a Mexican every once in awhile won’t hurt him among his rabid dog fans.

  4. The very thought that this ass could possibly be this close to the WH is torture —

    Just ask the GOP —

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

7 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for redrasputinmn Avatar for jw1 Avatar for sooner Avatar for clunkertruck Avatar for bluestatedon Avatar for inversion Avatar for darrtown Avatar for emilianoelmexicano Avatar for professorpoopypants

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