Donald Trump Stands By 9/11 Cheering Claims

Sunday on CNN’s “Reliable Sources”, host Brian Stelter battled with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s spokeswoman Katrina Pierson over Trump’s claims he saw thousands of Muslims in New Jersey cheering the Twin Towers coming down on 9/11. Mr. Kovaleski has a condition called arthrogryposis, which limits and affects his arm movements, so Mr. Trump mocked him by jerking his arms about as he said, “Now, the poor guy – you’ve got to see this guy, ‘Ah, I don’t know what I said!” He has declined to rule out a national database of Muslims and when asked whether the steps he was advocating were similar to those taken by the Nazis against the Jews, he replied: “You tell me”.

Trump on Sunday also said he believes Democratic President Barack Obama intends to take in 200,000 to 250,000 Syrian refugees. Mr. Trump maintains that in the immediate aftermath of the attacks, he saw television clips of Muslims in New Jersey rejoicing that the US had been attacked.

“I saw it on television”. Chuck Todd has been rightly criticized for his performance in the past, but during the Trump interview he did something that more members of the media should emulate.

Trump stuck mostly to his stump speech to the assembled thousands, who cheered, jeered and chanted enthusiastically as Trump revved them up. “To me it feels like it hurts the Trump campaign to talk about this”, he added, “it’s about evidence. we have to find photos or videos in order to have evidence of it”. In the former role, popping off based on limited information or wrong information or a story someone told you that they heard from their uncle has a limited impact.

DONALD TRUMP: Chuck, it did happen in New Jersey.

CHUCK TODD: Well just because somebody repeats something doesn’t make it true. A 2008 Gallup poll found that only seven percent of Muslims around the world said the 9/11 attacks were “completely” justified and viewed the United States unfavorably. “Your words matter. Truthfulness matters”.

DONALD TRUMP: Take it easy, Chuck. “I’ve heard Paterson. It was 14 years ago”, Trump said. Elephants are the mascot of the Republican Party, and Trump is seeking the party’s nomination for president in 2016.

At a campaign stop in Sarasota, Florida, what appears to be an Asian elephant was seen walking around outside the grounds with “Trump – Make American Great Again” painted on its side.