Donald Trump finally admits Barack Obama was born in America

'Outrageous lie': Donald Trump has finally admitted that Barack Obama was born in America
AP
Fiona Simpson16 September 2016
WEST END FINAL

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Donald Trump has admitted that US president Barack Obama was born in the United States and claimed credit for putting the issue to rest.

After five years as the chief promoter of the false idea that the president was not born in the country, Mr Trump said: "President Barack Obama was born in the United States, period."

Mr Trump went on: "Now we all want to get back to making America strong and great again."

The Republican candidate spoke during a military event at his new Washington hotel.

Rival candidate Mrs Clinton said Mr Trump owes Mr Obama and the American people an apology.

Speaking at an event with black women, she said that his campaign was "founded on this outrageous lie. There is no erasing it in history".

She said Mr Trump is "feeding into the worst impulses, the bigotry and bias that lurks in our country".

On Wednesday, Mr Trump refused to acknowledge that Mr Obama was born in Hawaii, declining to address the matter in a Washington Post interview.

"I'll answer that question at the right time," he said. "I just don't want to answer it yet."

Mrs Clinton seized on Mr Trump's refusal during a speech on Thursday night before the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute.

"He was asked one more time where was President Obama born and he still wouldn't say Hawaii. He still wouldn't say America," she said.

"This man wants to be our next president? When will he stop this ugliness, this bigotry?"

Hours later, campaign spokesman Jason Miller issued a statement that suggested the question had been settled five years ago - by Trump.

"In 2011, Mr Trump was finally able to bring this ugly incident to its conclusion by successfully compelling President Obama to release his birth certificate," Mr Miller said.

"Mr Trump did a great service to the president and the country by bringing closure to the issue that Hillary Clinton and her team first raised," he added.

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