Trump appeared in his new hotel in Washington DC on Friday and delivered a very short statement on birtherism, the theory that Obama was not born in the United States.
Hillary Clinton, in her campaign of 2008, started the birther controversy. I finished it. I finished it. You know what I mean. President Barack Obama was born in the United States, period. Now, we all want to get back to making America strong and great again.
He then left without taking any questions, clearly not eager to discuss his abrupt change of heart any further.
But birtherism is Trump’s signature political issue — the cause that launched him into political prominence.
Before anyone moves on, Trump needs to answer these seven questions:
When did you decide Obama was born in the United States?
For five years, including 2016, Trump consistently questioned whether Obama was born in the U.S. When did he change his mind? Trump did not specify.
Do you believe that Obama was properly admitted to college and law school?
A related claim to birtherism is that Obama was improperly admitted to Columbia University and Harvard Law School. Trump, at one point, offered to donate $5 million if Obama released his transcripts and other information.
What, exactly, changed your mind about Obama’s birthplace?
Trump’s campaign indicated that Trump was convinced that Obama was born in the U.S. after Obama released his long-form birth certificate in April 2011. But he did not accept the validity of that birth certificate that day or any day since. What evidence, if not the birth certificate, ultimately changed Trump’s mind?
Wake Up America! See article: "Israeli Science: Obama Birth Certificate is a Fake" http://t.co/f7esUdSz
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 13, 2012
What evidence do you have that Hillary Clinton is responsible for birtherism?
In his short statement today, Trump blamed Hillary Clinton for the birther conspiracy. This claim has been debunked by numerous fact checkers.
No, Hillary Clinton did not start the ‘birther’ movementDonald Trump said Friday, “Hillary Clinton and her campaign of 2008 started the birther controversy. I finished it.…www.usatoday.com
Do you believe that Obama is a Christian?
Trump has previously claimed that Obama is secretly a Muslim. Trump initially suggested Obama wouldn’t release his birth certificate because “maybe it says he is a Muslim.”
Does Madonna know something we all don't about Barack? At a concert she said "we have a black Muslim in the White House."
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 27, 2012
(Madonna was being ironic.)
Do you regret being a key figure in spreading a lie about the president? Will you apologize?
Trump offered no apology for spreading a racially-charged lie about President Obama for many years. What has he learned from this experience? What caused him to embrace a false conspiracy? What lessons does he take moving forward?
What is your message to your supporters who believe Obama is not a U.S. citizen?
A 2015 poll found that 61% of Trump’s supporters believe that Obama was not born in the U.S. What is his message to supporters who still believe this?
Are you willing to stop spreading other baseless conspiracy theories?
Birtherism isn’t the only conspiracy Trump has embraced. He’s also pushed conspiracies about asbestos, vaccines, American Muslims, cell phones Vince Foster and Antonin Scalia. Will he stop pushing these conspiracies as well?