Fact Check: Trump Claims He Opposed the Iraq War Before It Started
What We Know
Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that he opposed the Iraq War before it began in March 2003. However, multiple fact-checking sources have found no evidence to support this assertion. According to the Washington Post, Trump's first public comment regarding the Iraq War came on September 11, 2002, during an interview with Howard Stern, where he expressed lukewarm support for the invasion, stating, "Yeah, I guess so." This indicates that he did not oppose the war at that time.
Furthermore, the Associated Press reported that Trump only began to voice doubts about the Iraq conflict well after the invasion had commenced, with his first known public skepticism appearing in late 2003, long after U.S. forces had engaged in combat (AP News). In fact, on March 21, 2003, shortly after the invasion began, Trump described it as "a tremendous success from a military standpoint" (AP News).
Trump's narrative of early opposition appears to have evolved over time, particularly during his presidential campaigns, where he positioned himself against the war as a critique of his opponents, notably Hillary Clinton, who voted in favor of the invasion as a senator (AP News).
Analysis
The evidence overwhelmingly contradicts Trump's claim of having opposed the Iraq War prior to its initiation. The timeline of his statements shows a clear progression from initial support to later skepticism, which aligns with the broader public sentiment that shifted against the war as it dragged on. The Washington Post awarded Trump's claim Four Pinocchios, indicating a significant degree of falsehood.
The reliability of the sources used in this fact-check is high. The Washington Post and the Associated Press are both established news organizations known for their rigorous fact-checking standards. They provide detailed accounts and timelines that corroborate each other, further solidifying the conclusion that Trump's assertion is unfounded.
Moreover, Trump's attempts to reference comments made in 2004 as evidence of his early opposition have been debunked. An editor's note from Esquire, where Trump made some of these claims, clarified that the interview occurred long after the war began, thus nullifying his timeline (AP News).
Conclusion
Verdict: False
Donald Trump's claim that he opposed the Iraq War before it started is demonstrably false. The evidence indicates that he expressed support for the invasion in its early stages and only began to voice opposition after the conflict had already begun. This misrepresentation of his stance on the Iraq War appears to be a strategic political maneuver rather than a reflection of his actual views at the time.
