Donald Trump once argued against fishing: 'I believe it's painful for the fish'

After a Minnesota dentist shot and killed a beloved lion named Cecil last summer, pictures re-emerged of Donald Trump's sons Donald Jr. and Eric on a 2011 hunting trip in Zimbabwe. The photos feature Trump's offspring posing with an entire menagerie worth of hunting trophies, including leopards, crocodiles, waterbucks, and cape buffalo. One especially memorable picture shows Donald Trump Jr. posing with a chopped-off elephant tail; TMZ ran the photos originally in 2012, deeming the brothers "pitiful bloodthirsty morons."

During the frenzy following Cecil's death, Trump defended his children, saying, "My sons love to hunt. They are members of the NRA, very proudly. I am a big believer in the Second Amendment."

But when it comes to fishing, Trump apparently feels a little more conflicted about the ethics.

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Trump's fish squeamishness was revealed when BuzzFeed dug up old episodes of Trump's nationally syndicated radio segment from the early 2000s, Trumped! On the show, Trump answered pressing questions like "Can Rich Kids Ever be Normal?" and "Are Democrats Really Better in the Bedroom?" One segment from 2004 concerned a report from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals that said fish have feelings, too.

"Whenever my sons go fishing, they always tell me, 'Dad, it doesn't hurt a fish to get hooked.' Well, I watch and I see and I believe it's painful for the fish," Trump said.

Perhaps Trump has changed his mind since 2004, if his defense of Donald Jr. and Eric's hunting trip is any indication. Anyway, it wouldn't be the first time.