Indiana Gov. Mike Pence said Wednesday he believes President Barack Obama was born in Hawaii and not in a foreign country, which would have precluded him from serving as president.
Pence, who is Republican Donald Trump's running mate in the presidential election, made the remark on his campaign plane.
"I believe Barack Obama was born in Hawaii," Pence told NBC News. "I accept his birthplace. I just don't know where he's coming from on foreign policy and on economics and on Obamacare."
Trump has been highly skeptical of Obama's claim he was born in Hawaii in recent years. Obama eventually made public a copy of his birth certificate, but Trump didn't totally buy it.
Pence was asked about Trump's skepticism and whether or not he should apologize for what some critics said was a display of racism.
"I think Donald Trump's record both as a businessman and as a political leader and a patron in supporting minority efforts, and particularly supporting the advancement of the African-American community, really speaks for itself," Pence said.
Former Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson, who is now a supporter of Trump, said this week Trump should apologize for his birther comments because it would give him better standing among African-American voters.
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