The top Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence said Friday that Donald Trump’s reversal on his torture stance is not enough.
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said the GOP presidential front-runner must go further to actually disavow his support for waterboarding and killing the families of terrorists, which he has advocated.
“Although Donald Trump has now said that he would obey the law, he has yet to specifically disavow torture or killing the families of our enemies — both of which he has advocated in the past and both of which violate the Geneva Conventions and our values. He cannot have it both ways — will he abide by the laws of war and denounce these positions, or won’t he?” Schiff said in a statement.
“Let’s be clear — these are war crimes, no matter who is ordering them or carrying them out, whether a field commander, agency head, general or the president. Even in the midst of a heated presidential campaign, it’s the responsibility of all who believe in the rule of law and human rights to condemn these dangerous remarks,” he continued.
Trump had said that he would permit waterboarding and worse, saying that torture helped gather intelligence. Former intelligence officials have said that troops would not carry out such an unlawful order, even if it came from the president.
Questioned at Thursday night’s debate as to what he would do if troops disobeyed him, Trump responded: “They won’t refuse. They’re not going to refuse me. Believe me.”
On Friday, Trump walked back his remarks, saying that he would use every legal power to stop terrorists, but would not order the military to break laws or other boundaries set by the Geneva Convention.
