“He is becoming ISIS’ best recruiter,” she said at the New Hampshire debate. “They are going to people showing videos of Donald Trump insulting Islam and Muslims to recruit more radical jihadists.”
No evidence was offered by Clinton on stage to support the claim.
The remark was made in response to a question about Trump’s proposed ban on Muslim immigrants to the U.S.
Media commentators have asserted over the past week that Trump’s call for a halt on Muslim immigration makes it easier for the Islamic State to recruit. However, Clinton appeared to be the first presidential candidate to claim the group is actually showing videos of Trump to potential fighters as a means of luring them into violent jihad.
Clinton campaign spokesman Nick Merrill responded to an inquiry from TheBlaze by pointing to comments made by SITE Intelligence Group director Rita Katz who told NBC News the terror group was drawing on Trump’s rhetoric to recruit. Katz’s comments, however, included no mention of the Islamic State showing potential recruits video of Trump. A tweet from a “very vocal ISIS supporter” was also sent by Merrill to TheBlaze, but neither the tweet or article it linked to included anything to support the video claim.
An online search did not return any results that would support Clinton’s video assertion either.
A representative for the Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include information from the Clinton campaign.
—