Trump Lies about ... the Iraq War

[Anonymous]

Trump didn't oppose the Iraq War like he's trying to claim now.

George Stephanopoulos: “You were for it [the Iraq War], though, before you were against it.”

Trump: “No, I wasn’t. I was never for it. I was against it — before it ever started, I was against it. And I was against it from before 2004. I was against the war in Iraq, and I was against it for years. And [President George W.] Bush used to hate me for being so against it, and they sent people from the White House to try and convince me. All I’d say is, ‘It will destabilize the Middle East, and Iran will take over the Middle East.’ And that’s exactly what happened.”

—exchange on “Good Morning America,” April 27, 2016

This is blatantly false.

Trump did not oppose the Iraq War before 2004, as we and countless other media outlets have found. We compiled a complete timeline of all his public statements in 2002 and 2003 relating to the Iraq invasion and found no evidence to support this. In fact, in a September 2002 interview, Trump gave lukewarm support for the war.

Trump has said since October 2015 that the [GW Bush] White House tried to hush his (nonexistent) opposition ahead of the invasion. Trump never answered our request for the names of White House officials he supposedly met with. We checked with a dozen former Bush White House officials, and none could recall a meeting with Trump, concerns about his opposition, or even Trump’s views being on their radar prior to 2004. We awarded this claim four Pinocchios.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2016/04/28/recidivism-watch-trumps-eight-repeated-falsehoods-in-16-hours/

[Anonymous]

There are only two things Trump says that I would count on as honest: what he thinks about Mexicans and people who disagree with him.

[Anonymous]

Why is this a discussion - did you think Trump is telling truth or understood the intricacies of Iraq war? Why should his view (true or not true) matter? Some citizens of the country said Iraq war (before the war began) was a big mistake and some though we should go for it. Hindsight is 2020 - but none of the citizen knew all the details to make informed decision - to claim foreign policy experience based on coincidence is ridiculous and news media asking him this question is even more ridiculous. This is giving too much importance to his crystal ball - let us talk about his his abysmal knowledge of the world and his current policies.

[Anonymous]

Hillary championed the Iraq war.

Donald Trump was on the record opposing the war with Joe Scarborough on his show Scarborough Country in 2003.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is this a discussion - did you think Trump is telling truth or understood the intricacies of Iraq war? Why should his view (true or not true) matter? Some citizens of the country said Iraq war (before the war began) was a big mistake and some though we should go for it. Hindsight is 2020 - but none of the citizen knew all the details to make informed decision - to claim foreign policy experience based on coincidence is ridiculous and news media asking him this question is even more ridiculous. This is giving too much importance to his crystal ball - let us talk about his his abysmal knowledge of the world and his current policies.

OP here. I completely agree we should talk more about his abysmal lack of knowledge about the world, and his failure to articulate any policies that make sense. What I'm highlighting with my post though is his brazen willingness to simply lie about the Iraq War. If you want to start a discussion about his ignorance and stupidity, I'll be happy to join that one too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Donald Trump was on the record opposing the war with Joe Scarborough on his show Scarborough Country in 2003.

More lies.

Sept. 11, 2002: Trump is asked publicly about his stance on the invasion, apparently for the first time. In a recently revealed audio clip of the interview, Trump gives a lukewarm support for the war.

Stern: “Are you for invading Iraq?”
Trump: “Yeah, I guess so. You know, I wish the first time it was done correctly.”

March 20, 2003: Invasion of Iraq begins. Throughout 2003, Trump is asked about his views on Iraq. He’s not clearly outspoken against it.

Trump would go on to explain in 2016 that a Howard Stern interview was the first time he was asked about the war, and claim that by the time the war started in 2003, he was “totally against it.” But the evidence isn’t there.

March 21, 2003: Trump actually praises the invasion in an interview with Fox News. BuzzFeed News published an audio clip, where Trump says:

“Well, I think Wall Street’s waiting to see what happens but even before the fact they’re obviously taking it a little bit for granted and it looks like a tremendous success from a military standpoint and I think this is really nothing compared to what you’re gonna see after the war is over. … I think Wall Street’s just gonna go up like a rocket, even beyond, and it’s gonna continue and, you know, we have a strong and powerful country and let’s hope it all works out.”

April 30, 2003: Dow Jones News Service reports net income losses for Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts Inc., in first quarter of 2003.

“With the winter behind us and the war virtually over and possible signs of a strengthening economy, I am confident that we will rebound through the remainder of the year,” Trump concluded.

And here's how Trump supposedly opposed the War ...

Sept. 11, 2003: Trump on MSNBC’s “Scarborough Country:”

“It wasn’t a mistake to fight terrorism and fight it hard, and I guess maybe if I had to do it, I would have fought terrorism but not necessarily Iraq.”

Apparently Trump had a conversion about the time he started running for President ...

Trump at Feb. 14, 2016 debate:

“I’m the only one on this stage that said, ‘Do not go into Iraq. Do not attack Iraq.’ Nobody else on this stage said that. And I said it loud and strong. And I was in the private sector. I wasn’t a politician, fortunately. But I said it, and I said it loud and clear, ‘You’ll destabilize the Middle East.’ That’s exactly what happened.”

Such a liar.

[Anonymous]

PP again. Let me highlight that 2002 answer so it doesn't get lost:

Howard Stern: “Are you for invading Iraq?”

Donald Trump: “Yeah, I guess so."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP again. Let me highlight that 2002 answer so it doesn't get lost:

Howard Stern: “Are you for invading Iraq?”

Donald Trump: “Yeah, I guess so."

You are really pathetic if you have to dig into Howard Stern for serious political discussion. Debating Iraq war is a lost cause for Hillary, if all you got is a "I guess so" on Howard Stern.

Joe Scarborough was a congressman and hosted a show for Politics. Donald Trump was on the record opposing the war with Joe on his show at a time when the war was still very popular.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP again. Let me highlight that 2002 answer so it doesn't get lost:

Howard Stern: “Are you for invading Iraq?”

Donald Trump: “Yeah, I guess so."

You are really pathetic if you have to dig into Howard Stern for serious political discussion. Debating Iraq war is a lost cause for Hillary, if all you got is a "I guess so" on Howard Stern.

Joe Scarborough was a congressman and hosted a show for Politics. Donald Trump was on the record opposing the war with Joe on his show at a time when the war was still very popular.

Why does it matter who they are if they asked the same exact question? Stern is one of the best interviewers in any business. Scarborough is a hack addicted to access journalism, and that's coming from someone who watches his show every day.

[Anonymous]

"During the floor debate over the resolution authorizing the invasion of Iraq, Clinton was the only Democratic senator to have categorically accepted the Bush administration's claims regarding Iraq's alleged chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programs, Iraq's alleged long-range missile capabilities, and alleged ties to al-Qaeda. (Some Democratic senators accepted some of those claims, but not all of them.)"

Source: antiwar.com

Hillary better avoid discussing Iraq war or calling Donald a sexist, a misogynist. It will not be a pleasant debate for her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"During the floor debate over the resolution authorizing the invasion of Iraq, Clinton was the only Democratic senator to have categorically accepted the Bush administration's claims regarding Iraq's alleged chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programs, Iraq's alleged long-range missile capabilities, and alleged ties to al-Qaeda. (Some Democratic senators accepted some of those claims, but not all of them.)"

Source: antiwar.com

Hillary better avoid discussing Iraq war or calling Donald a sexist, a misogynist. It will not be a pleasant debate for her.

Yeah, that source doesn't seem biased at all. I might have to find that floor debate.

It doesn't change the fact that Trump is lying his a** off. However you feel about who asked him the question, "I guess so" does not equal "It will destabilize the Middle East!"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP again. Let me highlight that 2002 answer so it doesn't get lost:

Howard Stern: “Are you for invading Iraq?”

Donald Trump: “Yeah, I guess so."

You are really pathetic if you have to dig into Howard Stern for serious political discussion. Debating Iraq war is a lost cause for Hillary, if all you got is a "I guess so" on Howard Stern.

Joe Scarborough was a congressman and hosted a show for Politics. Donald Trump was on the record opposing the war with Joe on his show at a time when the war was still very popular.

Why does it matter who they are if they asked the same exact question? Stern is one of the best interviewers in any business. Scarborough is a hack addicted to access journalism, and that's coming from someone who watches his show every day.

It's not about Howard Stern the person but about the venue that Howard Stern produces. The stuff that Howard Stern puts out on his show, I don't know anyone can take it seriously other than just a crude form of entertainment. It's like finding clues on economy from the Jerry Springer show.

You can like or dislike Joe Scarborough the person, but his show was about discussing politics only. In 2003, Trump told Scarborough he was not for going into Iraq.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP again. Let me highlight that 2002 answer so it doesn't get lost:

Howard Stern: “Are you for invading Iraq?”

Donald Trump: “Yeah, I guess so."

You are really pathetic if you have to dig into Howard Stern for serious political discussion. Debating Iraq war is a lost cause for Hillary, if all you got is a "I guess so" on Howard Stern.

Joe Scarborough was a congressman and hosted a show for Politics. Donald Trump was on the record opposing the war with Joe on his show at a time when the war was still very popular.

Why does it matter who they are if they asked the same exact question? Stern is one of the best interviewers in any business. Scarborough is a hack addicted to access journalism, and that's coming from someone who watches his show every day.

It's not about Howard Stern the person but about the venue that Howard Stern produces. The stuff that Howard Stern puts out on his show, I don't know anyone can take it seriously other than just a crude form of entertainment. It's like finding clues on economy from the Jerry Springer show.

You can like or dislike Joe Scarborough the person, but his show was about discussing politics only. In 2003, Trump told Scarborough he was not for going into Iraq.

In SEPTEMBER 2003. After the war started.

[Anonymous]

OP, the Iraq War is not a subject that anyone who supports Clinton should touch with a 10-foot pole. Her foreign policy decisions have been a disaster that have caused people to die.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP again. Let me highlight that 2002 answer so it doesn't get lost:

Howard Stern: “Are you for invading Iraq?”

Donald Trump: “Yeah, I guess so."

You are really pathetic if you have to dig into Howard Stern for serious political discussion. Debating Iraq war is a lost cause for Hillary, if all you got is a "I guess so" on Howard Stern.

Joe Scarborough was a congressman and hosted a show for Politics. Donald Trump was on the record opposing the war with Joe on his show at a time when the war was still very popular.

Why does it matter who they are if they asked the same exact question? Stern is one of the best interviewers in any business. Scarborough is a hack addicted to access journalism, and that's coming from someone who watches his show every day.

It's not about Howard Stern the person but about the venue that Howard Stern produces. The stuff that Howard Stern puts out on his show, I don't know anyone can take it seriously other than just a crude form of entertainment. It's like finding clues on economy from the Jerry Springer show.

You can like or dislike Joe Scarborough the person, but his show was about discussing politics only. In 2003, Trump told Scarborough he was not for going into Iraq.

In SEPTEMBER 2003. After the war started.

Trump was a private citizen. He was not required to give a serious foreign policy opinion or even being asked the question. No one invited him to the Senate floor prior to the war to give a speech. Just because the earliest pubic record we can find was in September, it doesn't mean he was not against the war prior to that. It's such a red herring whether Donald opposed the war in 2003 or 2002. Trump was against the war early enough when the war was still popular.

Hillary on the other hand was the most hawkish senators at that time. She championed the war on the senate floor where it actually mattered. She continued her support long after the war started.