Trump refuses to back away from false claim Obama founded IS

Donald Trump refuses to take back his patently false allegation that Barack Obama founded the Islamic State group, even when questioned about the logic of his claim.

A day after lobbing the attack against the president during a rowdy rally, Trump presses ahead during a round of interviews — brushing off conservative radio commentator Hugh Hewitt’s attempt to reframe Trump’s observation as one that said Obama’s foreign policy created the conditions in Iraq and Syria that allowed IS to thrive.

“No, I meant he’s the founder of ISIS. I do,” Trump says, using another acronym for the extremist group.

Hewitt asks Trump if he would acknowledge that Obama hates the Islamic State, noting that the president is “trying to kill them.”

“I don’t care,” the businessman replies. “He was the founder. The way he got out of Iraq — that was the founding of ISIS, OK?”

He does acknowledge to Hewitt that the root of his argument is that if Obama “had done things properly, you wouldn’t have had ISIS.” But he adds: “Therefore, he was the founder of ISIS.”

In a later speech in Miami, Trump says Hillary Clinton would be given “the most valuable player award” by IS. “Her only competition is Barack Obama,” he says. He later adds: “Oh boy, is ISIS hoping for her.”

— AP