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Trump jumps on Orlando shootings to say he was right

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally, Saturday, at a private hanger at Greater Pittsburgh International Airport in Moon, Pa.

WASHINGTON >> Donald Trump seized on the worst shooting in U.S. history to call for a more muscular response to Islamic terrorism and later noted he’d been congratulated “for being right.” Hillary Clinton called it an “act of terror” and called for more curbs on guns.

The two responses illustrated the starkly different approaches the two presumptive presidential nominees could take to governing.

Trump, who has made combating Islamic terrorism a centerpiece of his campaign, tweeted today that he was “praying for the victims & their families” of the Orlando massacre that left 50 dead. But he also added: “When will this stop? When will we get tough, smart & vigilant?”

Trump, who has proposed a temporary ban on Muslim immigration, sparked a backlash with a later tweet: “Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism, I don’t want congrats, I want toughness & vigilance. We must be smart!”

Trump called for President Barack Obama to denounce the overnight shooting as the result of religious terrorism. The gunman, who was killed by police bullets, was identified as Omar Mateen, 29, who was born in the U.S. and is of Afghan descent.

“Is President Obama going to finally mention the words radical Islamic terrorism?” Trump tweeted before Obama spoke Sunday. ” If he doesn’t he should immediately resign in disgrace!”

Obama called the assault an “act of terror and an act of hate,” but said investigators had reached “no definitive judgment” for the killer’s motive.

Trump in a later statement said Obama’s reluctance to use the words “radical Islam” was “reason alone” for him to “step down.”

Trump has reacted to past shootings in a similar vein and declared in March that his response to the terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, Calif., had changed the tone of the presidential campaign, and helped him clear the field of his presidential rivals.

“We need protection in our country and that’s going to happen,” he said, noting that after the Paris attacks, “the poll numbers shot up.”

Trump said in a statement that he’ll deliver a speech on Monday on the attack, immigration, and national security, calling the gunman “the son of an immigrant from Afghanistan who openly published his support for the Afghanistani Taliban” and accusing his likely Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, of wanting to “dramatically increase admissions from the Middle East.”

Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, initially reacted with characteristic caution, saying on Twitter that her thoughts were with those affected by the “horrific act” as she waited for more information.

Later, after Obama spoke, Clinton’s campaign issued a lengthy statement calling the shooting an “act of terror.”

She said the United States needs to “redouble our efforts to defend our country from threats at home and abroad” while calling for additional restrictions on guns, something she has called for repeatedly on the campaign trail.

“We need to keep guns like the ones used last night out of the hands of terrorists or other violent criminals,” Clinton said. “This is the deadliest mass shooting in the history of the United States and it reminds us once more that weapons of war have no place on our streets.”

She and Obama, who endorsed Clinton last week, postponed their first joint campaign event, which had been scheduled for Wednesday in Wisconsin.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is expected to drop his bid for the Democratic nomination this week, also said that the United States should do more to keep guns out of hands of criminals and the mentally ill. But he reserved judgment on whether it “was an act of terrorism, a terrible hate crime against gay people or the act of a very sick person.”

Research has shown that voters are inclined to give Republican candidates higher marks on terrorist attacks, said Joseph Young, a professor at the School of Public Affairs at American University who studies political violence.

But he said Trump’s focus on the Islamic State is “too simplistic” for the Orlando attack, which targeted gays and lesbians.

New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, who is headlining the Libertarian Party ticket, called for letting the investigation play out: “We must allow the authorities to do their jobs, understand how this attack came about, and then respond accordingly,” he said in a statement. “It is not a time to either politicize or jump to conclusions.”

118 responses to “Trump jumps on Orlando shootings to say he was right”

  1. honupono says:

    What a D4ick. Hateful and Self Serving.

    • justmyview371 says:

      Who? You?

      • Keonigohan says:

        I’m sure he meant O…no one else fits that label more perfectly!

        • awahana says:

          Trump has no shortage of ignorance.

          “…who was born in the U.S…”

          A lot of good a ‘ban’ on muslims will do to stop what happened today. Gun ban will be more productive.

          Chris Rock for President. LOL.

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db0Y4qIZ4PA

        • thos says:

          Donald Trump asked Barack Obama denounce the Orlando shooting as the result of religious terrorism. He knows and we know that is never going to happen.

          In the immediate aftermath of 9/11 President Bush promised he would not falter or fail in his efforts to prevent another terror attack on our homeland. For the next 88 months he made good on that pledge. In sharp contrast, once he left office, Islamic terror attacks on the homeland – – Fort Hood, Little Rock, Times Square, Detroit, Boston, San Bernadino, now Orlando – – roared back with no sign of let up thanks to the relentless desire of Bush’s successor to play patty-cake with Islamic terrorists.

          Candidate Trump readily identified the problem and, unlike most of the gutless GOP, has not retreated after stating the plain truth. No wonder the mavens of all that is politically correct fear and despise him.

        • control says:

          Probably because most of us know that Trump is a bigot. The Orlando shooting was done by an American born and raised in America. Yes, his father is another bigot but you and Trump are blaming an entire religion for terrorist acts caused by a few fanatics that use their religion as an excuse to cause terror and kill people. In world war II they interred Japanese Americans because of their race, this is no different and you are no different blaming an entire religion for the action caused by a few nut jobs.

        • sarge22 says:

          Most of us know that Trump is right. Islamic terror attacks on the homeland – – Fort Hood, Little Rock, Times Square, Detroit, Boston, San Bernardino, now Orlando. How many more attacks do we need to prove a point?

        • control says:

          No, most of us know that there are religious fanatics out there that use their religion as an excuse to cause terror and kill people. Hawaii is multicultural, we don’t blame the religion for the acts of a few nut jobs.

    • d_bullfighter says:

      “hateful and self serving” – how so?

  2. justmyview371 says:

    Yes, Obama needs to be more vigilant in finding these people BEFORE they do something like this. All he does is say So Sorry and goes back to campaigning for Democrats. Yes, Clinton the U.S. needs to double its efforts on catching terrorists, but 2 times 0 (our current effort) is still zero. A BIG ZERO.

    • Keonigohan says:

      Zero=Obama

    • charlee808 says:

      http://fusion.net/story/313013/obama-gun-control-perfect-response/

      How do you expect anyone to be more vigilant when no matter what you say or do, people stand in the way. Then you get blamed for not doing something about it. There is an awful lot of finger pointing, but no compromise or collaboration. I’m not saying anyone is better than anyone else, but terrorists are exploiting the fact that our government can’t get along.

    • hybrid1 says:

      Question: Without the assault rifle, how many would have been killed by the lone gunman in Orlando?

      When the Assault Weapon Ban was lifted by the Congress, the carnage started on the 20 school children in Connecticut, the N.C. church goers, San Bernadino gathering and Orlando Pulse night club clebraters.

      Discussion of all other issues (intelligence gathering, Islam, Gays, etc) related to stopping the carnage are just distractions and non-productive.

      Congress must immediately reinstate the assault rifle ban and they should be voted out of office if they fail to do so.

      • control says:

        hybrid is just another fearmonger who thinks that banning assault weapons will solve Americas problems. Hybrid, if you ban assault weapons they will just use other weapons. The Orlando shooter also had a glock handgun but I don’t see you trying to ban them. There have been many shootings that weren’t caused by assault weapons so your ban will do nothing to stop the carnage. another problem is that the bad guys don’t worry about bans, they will get their assault weapons from elsewhere.

  3. bsdetection says:

    Foundering Trump campaign gleeful that it can try to capitalize on the deaths of 50 people, targeted because they were LGBT. Another hate crime was narrowly prevented today in West Hollywood when police arrested a heavily armed NON-MUSLIM who was on his way to kill people at a gay pride parade. Blaming Orlando on Obama makes no more sense than giving Obama credit for stopping a potential massacre in Hollywood.

  4. bumbai says:

    Let’s bring in 30,000 more Syrians that we can’t get security checks on…that will help.

  5. bumbai says:

    We have an Islamic terrorist problem, not a gun problem. Obama is still totally off base, and screeching Hillary is trying to outdo him.

  6. Mr Mililani says:

    I wonder if we should blame the religious fanatics for this. Screaming “God is great” before the killings makes some people think religion may be causing more harm than good. Read an article that younger people today are leaving the religion of their parents and they select “none of the above” when asked which religion they prefer. The Catholic church has suffered the most with churches closing everywhere around the world thanks to their pedophile priests and bishops. Sorry to see this happening but it was probably inevitable.

    • hawaiikone says:

      Go right ahead and blame Jesus for all the evil in the world. He said you would, and you’re falling right in line..

    • thos says:

      You err.

      The great damage done to the Catholic Church is the direct result of the botched implementation of Vatican II 45 years ago.

      That is when the Church walked away from its authority and teaching. That is also when they let down the bar for admittance into seminary resulting in a cohort of predatory homosexuals would go on to use their position of trust to indulge their sick taste for the forbidden fruit of young boys.

  7. serious says:

    Probably like a lot of others, I enjoy reading adventure novels and in just about all of them relay the discord between the FBI, ATF, CIA and local authorities. Now, this “suspect” was investigated by the FBI THREE times–correct??? But, he was able to buy a weapon and get Federal approval to buy it–correct? Now, let’s step back–who’s in charge of these agencies??? The President went on TV, as usual, and said we need more control–I think we all agree–who the HECK is in control–he should look into the mirror!!!! Trump is correct–we need adult supervision and not a President who Fund raisers on AF One taxpayer time every Three days–look it up!!!

  8. klastri says:

    Just when it seems like Mr. Trump cannot possibly get any more loathsome or self serving, he does this.

    All of this and a racist too.

    “I love the poorly educated!” Go Trump!

    • lespark says:

      Finally coming around? Loathsome, self serving, racist, bigoted, flag burning hypocrite. Go Trump!

      • klastri says:

        You’re lying of course. But that’s all you seem to do here. Sad and pathetic.

        • lespark says:

          Laureate University fraud. Read about it. Play for Pay.

        • lespark says:

          How’s about this one!????
          Hillary Clinton is facing controversy over the appointment to a sensitive State Department intelligence advisory board of a Clinton Foundation donor who also served as a financial bundler for Clinton’s campaigns.

        • klastri says:

          lespark – When you’re called out as a liar, be sure to change the subject to something completely unrelated to the story. Something that has nothing whatever to do with the article under discussion.

          That tactic always works! You have quite the mind.

        • sarge22 says:

          Another One They Knew About But Let Walk Among Us-Obama Should Resign
          Hildabeast stands for nothing and falls for everything.
          The direction she plots is always the path of least resistance, greatest deception, and easiest money. She will survive even if it costs America everything. Basically she is a psychological basket case and a very dangerous one. You cannot lie that thick and fast and stay sane. Same with Obankster.

        • thos says:

          Klastri you seem to have a tendency to want to change the subject by calling people names.

          Given the weak positions you attempt to push, it is understandable you would seek to change the subject at frequent intervals.

          You are indeed a very interesting specimen and no doubt many will study you like a bug under a magnifying glass. In this context, your comments are perhaps more revealing than you can imagine. Do carry on.

        • saveparadise says:

          kl-asstray, the fake lawyer living a lie in the fantasy world of anonymous forums.

        • TigerEye says:

          And what do thos’s comments reveal? Obviously, a left-leaning genius posing as a curmudgeonly, self-righteous throwback to the fifties.

          Good job inspiring the free thinkers of the world.

    • Winston says:

      As Spock would say, illogical. Islam is not a race. However, it probably makes sense to compulsive race card players.

      • klastri says:

        Of course, this is exactly what racists do. When someone exposes Trump for saying that a federal judge cannot be fair because he is of Latino heritage, other racists accuse the person who exposes the truth of “playing the race card.”

        People here know what you are. It’s no use trying to cover it up.

        • sarge22 says:

          You’re lying of course

        • Winston says:

          Well, well, a revelation. Thanks for the insight. You’ll have to excuse me if I take the advice of such an obnoxious person lightly. We weren’t talking about Trump’s comments on the judge, but since you bring it up, the judge’s links to La Raza and the law firm bring the Trump U suit were very large political contributors to the Clintons. Trump’s off target, but on to something.

          Again, to my subject, Trump’s clumsy proposal to limit Muslim immigration wasn’t racists. It was at least aimed in the right direction in acknowledgement that radical Islam is the problem. Note ISIS, See the mess in Europe, comprehend the threat, and think about it rationally—- if you can.

        • control says:

          May not be a race but Trump is a fearmonger who is trying to label all muslims as terrorists.

        • lespark says:

          Get over it. Old news. Non issue.
          Clinton word of the day.
          Racist.
          a person who believes that a particular race is superior to another.
          synonyms: racial bigot, racialist, xenophobe, chauvinist, supremacist More
          I never heard Trump say he was better than you.

        • control says:

          No, not old news if trump (god forbid) is elected president. Trump doesn’t have to say he is better than you, his actions speak just as loud as his words.

    • d_bullfighter says:

      Racist? Really klastri? How is it “racist” when Trump merely called for a temporary halt on immigration until safer protocols can be ironed out – in order to screen out potential terrorists? Talk about poorly educated.

      • klastri says:

        This murderer was a citizen. He was born in the United States. He was not an immigrant.

        Mr. Trump’s inexcusable racism involves a federal judge.

        Try to follow along.

        • MillionMonkeys says:

          Yeah, why don’t we ban US citizens too? And Christians and postal workers and math professors! A few of them have killed for insane reasons, so that’s a good excuse to ban them all!

          Heil, Trump!

        • d_bullfighter says:

          Your logic and analytical skills are woeful to say the least. The fact is this killer’s parent were MUSLIM IMMIGRANTS from Afghanistan. The fact is he was raised up in the MUSLIM FAITH. The fact is he carried out these killings in keeping with MUSLIM IDEOLOGY. Despite the fact that he was born in the U.S., he did this in keeping with his religious belief which is exactly the reason why Trump called for a temporary halt on Muslim immigration. Muslim terrorists could slip into this country under the guise of being immigrants, or even if they themselves are not terrorists, their offspring have the potential of becoming Muslim terrorists as this tragedy plainly demonstrates. That’s why prudence should be taken when allowing Muslim immigrants into this country whose religious ideology contradicts with Western values but I guess you can’t comprehend that.
          To link Muslim immigration with the racism with the Federal judge claim is a red herring fallacy which you specialize in.

        • BlueEyedWhiteDevil says:

          As I mentioned earlier, the DHS investigation into the hate mosque in Orlando was shut down by Obama and SOS Clinton. A good account of it is in a book written by agent Haney who was fired from DHS. The book is “See something, Say nothing.”

    • Allaha says:

      Of course Trump is right. Never before in the history of mankind has one group who is hostile to a country’s culture culture – namely Muslims – been allowed into a country namely USA. The results are coming to the surface even in the second generation of the Muslims. Racophob Klastri, this is not a racial group.

      • klastri says:

        Although it might seem impossible, your comments get less coherent every day.

        When I write of Mr. Trump’s racism (as explained over and over) I’m speaking of his inexcusable comments regarding the heritage of a federal judge.

        Might it help if you had a literate friend read to you and write your comments?

      • control says:

        allaha You do know that religious fanatics have been around for thousands of years? not only muslims but many religions also have terrorists. You are labeling millions of muslims as terrorsts because of a handful of whack jobs.

  9. amela says:

    Like Trump said “if everyone owned a gun we could have had a different outcome”. 200 dead and 125 critically injured. Plus the SWAT would have gotten more kills too!

    • lespark says:

      If they had they had armed security this could have been a deterrent.

      • klastri says:

        Of course the club had armed security.

        But why do 30 seconds of research if you can comment from a position of ignorance?

        • aomohoa says:

          Are you positive they had armed security? Why didn’t he shoot this monster.

        • klastri says:

          aomohoa – Oh my goodness. You really need to read a lot more.

          Yes, I’m sure. There was a uniformed Orlando police officer on special detail in the club who engaged the gunman.

          You think it’s easy to shoot someone with a rifle who is wildly killing people? This is actual combat. Not some TV show or a video game.

    • AdmrVT says:

      Give everyone the right to carry – like the old West. There could have been 200 guns at the club, & they could have shot back. The law of the fast gun.

  10. saywhatyouthink says:

    It’s hard to understand why the democrats have a problem calling crimes like this exactly what they are – Islamic terrorism. I understand all Muslims are not terrorists, But all the terrorist do seem to be Muslim. Sidestepping the real issue isn’t going to help anyone but the terrorists.

    • klastri says:

      It’s probably because Democrats tend to be better educated than Republicans, and we understand that rushing to conclusions before investigations are finished can result in making ridiculous decisions.

      You really need to do more research on terrorism. Like on Timothy McVeigh, for instance. But you won’t, because you just know know any better.

      That’s why.

      • Hitaxpayer says:

        klastri is that like Obamama rushing to conclusions in the professors case where he had to apologize in a beer summit, or rushing to conclusions in the Treyon Martin case of rushing to conclusions in the Missouri case. I could go on but you have drank sooo much kool aide it wouldn’t sink in. Glad I’m not as educated as you democrats.

        • Keonigohan says:

          Ut oh you mentioned Treyvon in Missouri case…klastri (aka Kurt on Kauai) said it was a travesty & is certain his lawyer friends (10 or so) would contest the no charges on the police officer. Hey KKK….so what happened…didn’t pan out out?

        • Keonigohan says:

          Correction michael brown in Missouri

      • d_bullfighter says:

        So I suppose the documented fact that the killer called 911 before his murderous rampage and pledged his allegiance to ISIS does not mean he was a Muslim terrorist?

      • hawaiikone says:

        klas, then are we to assume all the commenters posting in the original article are republicans? They seemed to have a better grasp on what transpired than most news coverages.

        • sarge22 says:

          Obama trying to repay Hillary for her cover up of the Benghazi disaster prior to the last presidential election.

  11. nalogirl says:

    We need to stop this PC mentality. Trump is right and he doesn’t care about being PC. I was waiting for Clinton to say is was because of a video. RIP those that lost their lives in Orlando.

    • Keonigohan says:

      You just P.O’d klastri…he said it was bc of the VIDEO!!!

    • control says:

      so you want to label a whole religion as terrorists just because of a few nut jobs? Nothing that trump proposes would have stopped this massacre, the shooter was born and raised in America. yes his parents are from the middle east but the kid was raised here.

      • sarge22 says:

        A few nut jobs? ISIL leaders claim 40,000 fighters

        • control says:

          Out of 1.6 billion. So you’re going to call all 1.6 billion terrorist or label them as terrorists? You and Trump nothing but fear mongers trying to prey on people’s fears.

  12. WizardOfMoa says:

    My mind is made up of whom to vote for President! Definitely neither Trump or Clinton! Heartfelt condolences to all of the families , of the dead and those wounded by this disaster!

    • hawaiikone says:

      “https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/06/12/gary-johnson-orlando-mass-shooting-is-no-reason-to-politicize-or-jump-to-conclusions/”. Observations from Gary Johnson.

  13. bleedgreen says:

    It’s scary to think that he, Trump, won’t, will not acknowledge that these acts of terror in the U.S. and in places like Belgium were committed by natural citizens of their country and not by Muslim immigrants. And he might be our next president. Also scary is the failure by the FBI and other such organizations in the US and abroad to arrest these terrorists “before” they commit their acts of terrorism. This latest murderer was known by authorities; was questioned in 2012, but nothing was done. He was not put on a list that should have prevented him from purchasing weapons.

    • d_bullfighter says:

      The killer’s parents were Muslim immigrants from Afghanistan who raised their son in the Muslim faith. The son carried out his Muslim beliefs in murdering innocent people. Despite the fact that he was born in the U.S., he did this in keeping with his religious belief which is exactly the reason why Trump called for a temporary halt on Muslim immigration. Muslim terrorists could slip into this country under the guise of being immigrants, or even if they themselves are not terrorists, their offspring have the potential of becoming Muslim terrorists as this tragedy plainly demonstrates.

      • control says:

        There are probably tens of thousands of people in the US who are muslim and who raise their sons in the Mislim faith. They and their sons are not terrorists and do not hide behind their religion to cause terror. I got news for you, this terrorist was born and raised in America and nothing that Trump proposes would have stopped this from happening. your logic is as good as interring Japanese americans in WWII because one out of hundreds of thousands could be a terrorist.

        • d_bullfighter says:

          I got news for you. Despite their internment during WWII, Japanese American men fought for their country because they believed in the values which this country represents. My uncle was one of them. All Muslims pledge their allegiance to Sharia law which opposes the values this country stands for. Any questions?

  14. SomebodyElse says:

    Classic communistic propaganda strateegy; accentuate the problems during a crisis situation to sway public opinion to your cause or belief.

  15. HanabataDays says:

    Trump uses this tragedy to congratulate himself for “being right”. What an evil man, who seizes upon a terrible event to proclaim that he knew it all along, his every word was justified, he alone deserves to rule over us. Me, me, me, me, me. His solipsism and egotism knows no bounds. This scoundrel, this braggart, this self-centered egotist cares only about self-aggrandizement. May the ghosts of this horrible killing haunt him and give him no sleep, no rest, no ease, no comfort.

    • thos says:

      It must really gnaw at your vitals to have to admit Trump was~~and IS~~right to elicit this eruption of hate speech on your part.

      The good news from the standpoint of The Donald is that haters like you are the paving stones on his path to the White House. So if it turns out that Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton loses in November in a Trump-thump blow out, she will have you and those that /forgive the expression/ ‘think’ like you to thank.

    • saveparadise says:

      The proof is right in front of your eyes and all you can do is condemn the politically incorrect? Terrorists could set off a dirty atom bomb and you would still be cursing Trump instead of listening to logic that might save us and the future quality of life that we all cherish just because of your dislike of a politically incorrect presidential candidate.

      • control says:

        nothing trump proposed could have prevented this killing. Trump is just using this incident to incite people into blaming one while religion for all the terror.

  16. mctruck says:

    FBI should keep better surveillance over suspicious individuals who profess to be in agreement with radical Islamist groups. I would like to see court ordered search and seizure mandates for this type of situation(s). No more pussy-footing around with terrorists.

  17. klastri says:

    Leave it to Mr. Trump to parade his disgraceful self congratulations over 50 bodies. He is a laughingstock.

    A disgrace to the Republican Party (who is trying ever more desperately to distance itself from him) and to the United States.

    It’s going to be so sweet to watch him lose in a landslide.

  18. 808comp says:

    Who cares what you call them their still Terrorist.

  19. bsdetection says:

    Disgusting comments by Trump, whose first reaction was to humble brag that this tragedy is about him, that it proved that he is right. He wasn’t right about anything. If the Orlando shooter had been stopped and the West Hollywood shooter, who was stopped at the last minute by very lucky police work, had succeeded, would Trump have announced that he was wrong? Of course not. Trump and the rest of his party can’t bring themselves to say that this horrific act was a homophobic hate crime. They can’t even say, “LGBT.” It’s as if their mouths can’t form those letters. Republican Lt Governor of Texas even suggested that the victims got what they deserved. The party of hate, bigotry, misogyny and racism can hardly contain their glee as they race to turn this tragedy into an electoral silver bullet.

  20. meleman says:

    me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me ……

    there seem to be two massive things about The Donald … his ego and his stupidity.

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