Obama: 'We tortured some folks'

At a press conference Friday, President Obama admitted that some of the actions taken by the CIA in the U.S.'s fight against terrorism were "wrong," including torture.

Obama didn't mince words, admitting that after the Sept. 11 attacks, "We tortured some folks. We did some things that are contrary to our values." The remarks were notable for their bluntness, since both Obama and his predecessor had refrained from using the "t" word to describe the CIA's "enhanced interrogation techniques" against suspected terrorists, a phrase that has been widely criticized for covering up U.S. crimes.

Obama's remarks came in response to a question about CIA Director John Brennan, who is under fire after the spy agency admitted this week that it had spied on Senate staffers. Obama said he had "full confidence" in Brennan.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up