Subscribe
Subscribe


Trump’s Revealing Interview With Bret Baier

By Stephen F. Hayes

On Thursday, presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump sat down with Fox News anchor Bret Baier for a wide-ranging interview. Baier asked many questions, Trump gave some answers. The entire interview is revealing, in much the way Trump’s session with the Washington Post editorial board was revealing. Watch it here:



I’d like to highlight two notable exchanges – one on campaign politics and process and the other on substance.

Baier asked Trump about his suggestion that Rafael Cruz, Ted Cruz’s father, had helped Lee Harvey Oswald in the months before the assassination of President John F. Kennedy Jr.

Some brief background: On May 3, during a telephone interview on Fox & Friends, Trump said: “His father was with Lee Harvey Oswald prior to Oswald’s being — you know, shot. I mean, the whole thing is ridiculous.” He added: “What is this, right prior to his being shot, and nobody even brings it up. They don’t even talk about that. That was reported, and nobody talks about it. I mean, what was he doing — what was he doing with Lee Harvey Oswald shortly before the death? Before the shooting?” Trump continued. “It’s horrible.”

Trump repeated his suggestions in several subsequent interviews and, for a time, refused to back down. On the morning of May 4, Trump told ABC News that he kept repeating the claims because, “I don’t think anybody denied it.” But Rafael Cruz had denied it, calling the claim “ludicrous.” And Ted Cruz held a press conference to deny it. Trump knew this because he mocked Ted Cruz for that press conference. So Trump was lying when he said he didn’t think anyone had denied it.

That afternoon, Trump started to back off, telling CNN’s Blitzer that he never really embraced a conspiracy theory that Cruz was involved with Oswald. “Of course, I don’t believe it. I didn’t believe it but I did say let people read it.”

The following day, Baier sought some clarity. Trump offers nine evolving explanations about his understanding of the Cruz. In the process, Trump abandons his contention that he doesn’t believe the conspiracy and ends by claiming that Rafael Cruz appeared in the picture with Oswald. Here is that exchange:

Baier: I want to clear up this controversy that you’ve been asked about a couple of days in a row now, where, the last day in Indiana, you bring up Senator Cruz’s father and Lee Harvey Oswald. Are you aware of any single piece of evidence that backs up the claims that you talked about? Trump: “His father said some really terrible things about me and just said pray and pray, you know, in a very bad sense about me. Like, nobody has ever said it anything like that – Baier: So you swung back. Trump: It was a very nasty thing to say. So it wasn’t – it didn’t just come out of nowhere. And I had seen, a week before, actually, all over the place, but there was a picture of the father, who seems like a nice guy, but after what he said about me, it’s a little bit tough – Baier: There – Trump: And he was having lunch or breakfast with Lee Harvey Oswald. They didn’t dispute that. (1) Baier: Yesterday you said: “I don’t think anybody has denied it.” Well, Cruz denied it. Trump: I don’t think they denied it. (2) I didn’t see them. (3) Maybe they denied it later, (4) but I haven’t seen them deny it (5). Certainly they didn’t deny it when it was first made (6). Here’s the thing, they did a front page story in one of the magazines – Baier: The National Enquirer. Trump: And it was picked up by a lot of people. And I don’t think anybody denied it. (7) Now, they may have denied it recently. (8) And all I did is think, well, what about that? Baier: “They denied it at that press conference that you then talked about when he went after you – Trump: Well – Baier: All the things you said about it Trump: They can deny it, but I mean it is a picture. (9) And I did say what about that?

On ISIS, Baier asks for Trump’s assessment of Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, the undisputed leader of the terror group, without using Baghdadi’s name. Baier began by citing Trump’s boast, earlier in the campaign, about his vast knowledge of ISIS.

Baier: Campaigning in Iowa, you said, quote, “I know more about ISIS than the generals do, believe me.” You obviously know a lot about leadership. But based on – on this, what – what’s your assessment of the leader of ISIS, his strengths, his weaknesses, you know. Trump: Well, they’ve had numerous leaders and they don’t – you don’t even – we don’t even really know who the leader is. They have different people in different areas. What does amaze me is that they have a leader and that we can’t get them. I mean, it’s unbelievable. But you have more than one leader of ISIS and they’re expanding and they’re spreading. And now they’ve taken over the oil in Libya – which is really pure, great oil – among the best in the world. And they’re sending it out on ships and we’re doing nothing to blockade it. And we’re doing nothing. Now, he may be a great leader, but it just seems to be every time we take out one of their leaders, you know, there’s no difference.

Trump, who says he knows more than the generals, never used Baghdadi’s name.

Related Content


Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

NEWS

POLICY

COMMENTARY

RESTORING AMERICA