Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 06:38 pm
The Anti-Defamation League is blasting Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump for reviving the racist and bigoted conspiracy theory that were people were cheering in the US when the Twin Towers fell.
Transcript of Trump claiming that he saw people cheering with his own eyes when the towers fell on 9/11:
To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
STEPHANOPOULOS: You know, you made — you raised some eyebrows yesterday with comments you made at — at your latest rally — and I want to show them, relating to 9/11.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Hey, I watched when the World Trade Center came tumbling down. And I watched in Jersey City, New Jersey, where thousands and thousands of people were cheering as that building was coming down. Thousands of people were cheering.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHANOPOULOS: You know, the police say that didn’t happen and all those rumors have been on the Internet for some time.
So did you meek — misspeak yesterday?
TRUMP: It did happen. I saw it.
STEPHANOPOULOS: You saw that…
TRUMP: It was on television. I saw it.
STEPHANOPOULOS: — with your own eyes.
TRUMP: George, it did happen.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Police say it didn’t happen.
TRUMP: There were people that were cheering on the other side of New Jersey, where you have large Arab populations. They were cheering as the World Trade Center came down. I know it might be not politically correct for you to talk about it, but there were people cheering as that building came down — as those buildings came down. And that tells you something. It was well covered at the time, George.
Now, I know they don’t like to talk about it, but it was well covered at the time.
There were people over in New Jersey that were watching it, a heavy Arab population, that were cheering as the buildings came down. Not good.
STEPHANOPOULOS: As I said, the police have said it didn’t happen.
The Anti-Defamation League put out a statement blasting Trump for reviving a debunked 9/11 conspiracy theory, “It is unfortunate that Donald Trump is giving new life to long-debunked conspiracy theories about 9/11. This seems a variation of the anti-Semitic myth that a group of Israelis were seen celebrating as the Twin Towers fell. His comments are irresponsible — not to mention factually challenged.”
Trump changed Israelis to Muslims and built himself a new conspiracy theory. Donald Trump’s presidential campaign is at its core a dog whistle for ignorant racists and bigots who reside in the Republican Party. It is a shock to no one that the same candidate who launched his campaign by claiming that Mexican immigrants are racists would revive a widely debunked 9/11 conspiracy theory for his own political gain.
Donald Trump is trying to get himself elected president by appealing to the worst impulses in American society. It is telling that a racist, fact-challenged bigot is leading the Republican presidential polls. Trump’s standing atop the GOP speaks volumes about who the former Party of Lincoln are and what they have truly become.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
