Donald Trump is standing firm on his comments about Muslims in New Jersey cheering on 9/11, telling "Meet the Press" host Chuck Todd, "I'm not going to take it back."
Trump, who has practically been the Republican presidential frontrunner since entering the race, claimed at a Nov. 21 rally that he saw on television "thousands" of Muslims in Jersey City cheering as the Twin Towers came down during the terrorist attacks on New York City on Sept. 11, 2001, said the
Washington Post.
He doubled down on his claim the next day in an interview with George Stephanopoulos on ABC's "This Week."
Since then, Trump has been pressured to take back the statement, with some fact checkers refuting the claim that it happened. An article in the Newark Star-Ledger on Sept. 18, 2001 stated that "rumors of rooftop celebrations of the attack by Muslims here proved unfounded."
Trump, though, refused to back down in a contentious back-and-forth with Todd on Sunday, claiming that others have contacted him to say they saw Muslims celebrating the 9/11 attacks as well, said
NBC News.
"I saw it. So many people saw it," Trump told Todd when he was challenged again on the claim. "So, why would I take it back? I'm not going to take it back."
"I saw it on television. I saw clips. And so did many other people. And many people saw it in person. I've had hundreds of phone calls to the Trump Organization saying, 'We saw it. It was dancing in the streets.'"
It was the latest of controversial statements Trump has made in reference with Muslims. The Post reported earlier in the month that Trump said "there should be a lot of systems beyond databases" when asked if there should be a database to track Muslims in the country.
Trump backed away from that statement the next day.
"I didn't suggest a database – a reporter did," Trump said in a Twitter post. "We must defeat Islamic terrorism & have surveillance, including a watch list, to protect America."
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