4:50
- ABC News
- October 16, 2015
Jeb Bush Fires Back About Trump 9/11 Comments
Republican presidential rivals Donald Trump and Jeb Bush are back at it again.
4:50
Speaking to Fox News Monday, Trump continued his pledge that his immigration policy would have stopped the 9/11 terrorists going on to say his plan would have a strong \"whistleblower” system.
“My standards were much higher for Visas if you look at what I'm doing,” he said. \"My standards are much higher for Visas, number one. Number two, we'd have a massive whistleblower system which you have to have. It's hard to believe you had 18 or 19 people and nobody, nobody knew what they were doing. \"
Bloomberg’s Stephanie Ruhle asked if Trump could reassure Americans in times of national emergencies, as the 43rd president did after Sept. 11.
“I think I have a bigger heart than all of them,\" Trump responded. \"I think I’m much more competent then all of them. I mean, say what you want, the World Trade Center came down during his time.”
“Hold on,” Ruhle interjected. “You can’t blame George Bush for that.\"
“He was president, OK? Don’t blame him or don’t blame him, but he was president,\" Trump continued. \"The World Trade Center came down during his reign. If you look at Sandy Hook, those people are still begging for help.\"
Bush quickly defended his brother on Twitter.
This particular fight is one that is long-standing between the two rivals.
Bush has been a heavy establishment favorite to win the nomination, but he’s been struggling in the polls, often tripled in support by the brash frontrunner who leads the GOP pack.
How pathetic for @realdonaldtrump to criticize the president for 9/11. We were attacked & my brother kept us safe.
— Jeb Bush (@JebBush) October 16, 2015
During the last GOP debate in Simi Valley, CA, the most tweeted about moment came during a spar between the two.
“Your brother and your brother's administration gave us Barack Obama because it was such a disaster those last three months,” Trump said.
Bush quickly struck back. “You know what? As it relates to my brother, there is one thing I know for sure, he kept us safe,” he said.
On the campaign trail, Trump frequently chastises Bush for being “low-energy”, while Bush’s preferred method of attack is pointing out the real estate mogul’s lack of policy chops.
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