TRUMP: CALLING OBAMA ISIS FOUNDER WAS ''SARCASM''

For the second time in less than a month, GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump is writing off a statement many found offensive - this time, that President Obama was the "founder" of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) - as "sarcasm."

Provided by The HillSecret Service spoke to Trump about ‘Second Amendment’ remark: report

"ISIS is honoring President Obama," Trump said Wednesday during a rally in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.  "He's the founder of ISIS. He founded ISIS."

"I would say the co-founder would be Crooked Hillary Clinton," Trump added of his Democratic rival and Obama's former

secretary of State. Trump has previously referred to each as ISIS's most valuable player as well.

Trump doubled down on the claim Thursday in an interview with Hugh Hewitt, telling the radio host that "everyone's liking" the comments.

"I know what you meant. You meant that he created the vacuum. He lost the peace," Hewitt said.

"No, I meant that he's the founder of ISIS," Trump replied. "He was the most valuable player. I gave him the most valuable player award."

But on Friday, Trump tweeted that he was being facetious: Ratings challenged @CNN reports so seriously that I call President Obama (and Clinton) "the founder" of ISIS, & MVP. THEY DON'T GET SARCASM?

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 12, 2016

In July, Trump was under fire for saying he hopes Russian hackers find Clinton's 30,000

missing emails from her private server, statements he later dismissed as "sarcastic."

I love watching these poor, pathetic people (pundits) on television working so hard and so seriously to try and figure me out. They can't!

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 12, 2016

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