Gary Johnson Agrees With Trump That Obama Founded ISIS – But Not on Purpose

Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson agrees with GOP nominee Donald Trump that President Obama founded ISIS, but he does not believe it was intentional.

“Unintentionally,” Johnson replied on MSNBC Thursday morning when asked if Obama was the founder of ISIS before being pressed for more details.

“It wasn’t intentional, but you can’t make it up. When they go in and they support the opposition in Libya and Syria, and the opposition is aligned with ISIS, and we arm the opposition and they lose those arms to ISIS, unintentionally,” Johnson said.

Also Read: Donald Trump Says President Obama Is 'Absolutely' the Founder of ISIS

Trump first called Obama the founder of ISIS on Wednesday night during a campaign rally in Sunrise, Florida.

“ISIS is honoring President Obama. He is the founder of ISIS. He’s the founder of ISIS. He’s the founder. He founded ISIS,” Trump said. “I would say the co-founder would be crooked Hillary Clinton.”

Trump also referred to the president as “Barack Hussein Obama” throughout the South Florida rally. He appeared on CNBC Thursday morning to double down on his ISIS comments.

Also Read: Gary Johnson Delivers Best Donald Trump Diss of the Week

“He was the founder of ISIS, absolutely,” Trump said on the business network. “The way he removed our troops — you shouldn’t have gone in. I was against the war in Iraq. Totally against it.”

Trump continued: “That mistake was made. It was a horrible mistake — one of the worst mistakes in the history of our country. We destabilized the Middle East and we’ve been paying the price for it for years. He was the founder — absolutely, the founder. In fact, in sports they have awards, he gets the most valuable player award. Him and Hillary. I mean she gets it, too. I gave them co-founder if you really looked at the speech.”

9 Sickest Donald Trump Burns at the Democratic Convention

• Democrats at their national convention want to tell Americans that whatever they think of Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump is worse. They're doing it with a barrage of sick burns. Here are the best.

• Elizabeth Banks

  "Some of you know me from The Hunger Games, in which I play Effie Trinket — a cruel, out-of-touch reality TV star who wears insane wigs while delivering long-winded speeches to a violent dystopia. So when I tuned into Cleveland last week, I was like, 'Hey, that's my act.'"

• Sarah Silverman

  "This Democratic primary was exemplary. No name calling, no comments about the size of candidates' hands or ethnicity or how much they sweat or if they go to the bathroom. Inside secret: they do. That stuff is for third graders ... major arrested development stuff. That's 'I'm still emotionally 4 and calling people names from my gold-encrusted sandbox because I was given money instead of human touch or coping tools' stuff. But I digress."

• Sen. Al Franken

  "Sure, he's scammed a lot of people. But did you know that Trump University's School of Ripping People Off is ranked second in the nation? Right behind Bernie Madoff University."

• Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg
  
  "I've built a business and I didn't start it with a million-dollar check from my father ... I'm a New Yorker, and New Yorkers know a con when we see one."

• Vice President Joe Biden

  "He’s trying to tell us he cares about the middle class -- give me a break. That’s a bunch of malarkey ... The guy doesn't have a clue about the middle class, not a clue."

• Lena Dunham and America Ferrera

  Dunham: “We know what you’re all thinking: Why should you care what some television celebrity has to say about politics?”

  Ferrera: “And we feel the same way. But he is the Republican nominee, so we need to talk about him.”

• Vice presidential nominee Sen. Tim Kaine

  "He says, 'Believe me.' Well, his creditors, his contractors, his laid-off employees, and his ripped-off students did just that, and they all got hurt. Folks, you cannot believe one word that comes out of Donald Trump’s mouth."

• Retired Adm. John Hutson

  "More than 120 Republicans, national security leaders -- Republican national security leaders -- recently warned that Donald Trump would, in their words, 'make America less safe.' He even mocked POWs like John McCain. I served in the same Navy as John McCain. I used to vote in the same party as John McCain. Donald, you are not fit to polish John McCain’s boots."

• President Barack Obama

  "Anyone who threatens our values, whether fascists or communists or jihadists or homegrown demagogues, will always fail in the end."

• If you enjoyed this gallery, you may also like our list of the best Democratic Convention speeches, ranked.

Previous Slide Next Slide

1 of 11

Dems call Trump a con man demagogue who may be wearing wigs

Democrats at their national convention want to tell Americans that whatever they think of Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump is worse. They're doing it with a barrage of sick burns. Here are the best.

View In Gallery

Related stories from TheWrap:

Donald Trump Says President Obama Is 'Absolutely' the Founder of ISIS

Paul Ryan Still Endorses Trump Despite 2nd Amendment 'Joke Gone Bad'

'Morning Joe' Co-Hosts Spar on Air Over Trump: 'It Means Nothing Coming From You' (Video)