President Trump confirms he’ll follow the law on torture, waterboarding, listen to Mike Pompeo, Gen Mattis to ‘fight fire with fire’
During an interview with ABC, President Trump discussed how he’d like to “fight fire with fire” when it comes to stopping terrorism, suggesting that he could be open to bringing back torture because he “absolutely” believes it works.
“When ISIS is doing things that no one has ever heard of, since medieval times, would I feel strongly about waterboarding?” Trump said in the interview. “As far as I’m concerned, we have to fight fire with fire.”
The President stated that “people at the highest level of intelligence” have told him that torture does work and confirmed he’ll be taking the advice of his cabinet heads: CIA Director Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary James Mattis.
photo Joshua Sherurcij
“I will rely on Pompeo and Mattis and my group. And if they don’t want to do (it), that’s fine.” Trump said. “And if the do want to do (torture), I will work toward that end.”
Depsite the fearmongering of reports, Trump reaffirmed that he and the cabinet will follow the law.
“We’re not playing on an even field,” Trump said. “I want to do everything within the bounds of what you’re allowed to do legally. But do I feel it works? Absolutely, I feel it works.”
Pompeo told senators during his confirmation hearings that he wouldn’t sanction the use of torture, but later said he would consider bringing back waterboarding and other enhanced interrogation measures under certain circumstances.
Pompeo said that he would “absolutely not” restart the CIA’s use of enhanced interrogation tactics that fall outside of Army Field Manuals. “Moreover, I can’t imagine I would be asked that by the President-elect.”
Democrats and Republicans have been very divided on the issue of bringing back torture methods that were used by the Bush administration after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
The topic has graced headlines after a rumored executive order was leaked to the press. Press Secretary Sean Spicer denied its validity and authorship.
The Senate voted overwhelming to ban torture across the US government in 2015, codifying a ban President Barack Obama issued by executive order shortly after he was sworn in in 2009. Obama then signed the updated defense authorization bill into law.
Sen. John McCain, who was tortured as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, said the law is clear on the practice despite what Trump were to order.
“The President can sign whatever executive orders he likes. But the law is the law. We are not bringing back torture in the United States of America,” the Arizona senator said in a statement.
