(Evan Vucci/AP)Donald Trump on Thursday defended his discredited claim that he opposed the Iraq War before the invasion, detailing several public statements he made after the invasion as proof. “Iraq is one of the biggest differences in this race,” Trump said Thursday during a campaign event in Cleveland. “I opposed going in — and I did oppose it, despite the media saying, ‘Oh, yes, no.’ I opposed going in. Offering an alternative timeline Thursday, Trump dismissed fact checkers and provided an incorrect characterization of his statements in the buildup to the war. In an August 2004 Esquire story, which Trump referenced Thursday, he came out unequivocally against the war — 17 months after the invasion.

Source: Washington Post September 08, 2016 19:54 UTC