Fox News ambushes Donald Trump with video footage of him flip-flopping on issues
When confronted at the Fox News debate with a video reel showing him changing his position on three separate topics, Donald Trump said there was nothing wrong with being "flexible," adding: "If you're going to be one way and think it's wrong, does that mean the rest of your life, you have to go in the wrong direction because you don't want to change?"
Moderator Megyn Kelly teed up the video by saying people like Trump because he "tells it like it is," but he's also known to "reverse" himself later. The video featured Trump talking about sending troops to Afghanistan, allowing Syrian refugees to enter the United States, and whether President George W. Bush lied leading up to the war in Iraq. Each clip was followed by another interview or debate appearance, with Trump sharing the opposite viewpoint from earlier. Trump defended each of his responses, and launched into explanations of why he said what he did. On Syria, "the first time the question was put to me, it was very early on," he said. "We just started hearing a very small number, days later the number was thousands and thousands."
Trump said it was okay for him to change his mind because he has a "very strong core," and he's "never seen a successful person who wasn't flexible, who didn't have a certain degree of flexibility. You have to be flexible because you learn." Marco Rubio piped up to say that there's a "difference between flexibility and telling people what you think you need to say to get them to do what you want them to do. That is what Donald has done throughout his career."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
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 for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
'The disconnect between actual health care and the insurance model is widening'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Cautious optimism surrounds plans for the world's first nuclear fusion power plant
Talking Point Some in the industry feel that the plant will face many challenges
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Explore new worlds this winter at these 6 enlightening museum exhibitions
The Week Recommends Discover the estrados of Spain and the connection between art and chess in various African countries
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
Putin says Russia isn't weakened by Syria setback
Speed Read Russia had been one of the key backers of Syria's ousted Assad regime
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Georgia DA Fani Willis removed from Trump case
Speed Read Willis had been prosecuting the election interference case against the president-elect
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Democrats blame 'President Musk' for looming shutdown
Speed Read The House of Representatives rejected a spending package that would've funding the government into 2025
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump, Musk sink spending bill, teeing up shutdown
Speed Read House Republicans abandoned the bill at the behest of the two men
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Congress reaches spending deal to avert shutdown
Speed Read The bill would fund the government through March 14, 2025
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Luigi Mangione charged with murder, terrorism
Speed Read Magnione is accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ex-FBI informant pleads guilty to lying about Bidens
Speed Read Alexander Smirnov claimed that President Joe Biden and his son Hunter were involved in a bribery scheme with Ukrainian energy company Burisma
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
South Korea impeaches president, eyes charges
Speed Read Yoon Suk Yeol faces investigations on potential insurrection and abuse of power charges
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published