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.
Am I morally obligated to defend the president every time somebody says something bad or controversial about him? I don’t think so!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 19, 2015
This is the first time in my life that I have caused controversy by NOT saying something.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 19, 2015
If someone made a nasty or controversial statement about me to the president, do you really think he would come to my rescue? No chance!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 19, 2015
If I would have challenged the man, the media would have accused me of interfering with that man’s right of free speech. A no win situation!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 19, 2015
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.”