Story highlights
Donald Trump appeared Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union" with Jake Tapper
He stood by one of his debate answers where he called for the U.S. to use waterboarding in the fight against ISIS
Trump also downplayed expectations about the upcoming New Hampshire primary
Donald Trump said Sunday he would “go through a process” to end waterboarding’s status as a war crime in order to use it against ISIS if he is elected president.
“I’d go through a process and get it declassified frankly … certainly waterboarding at a minimum,” Trump told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union.”
“They’re chopping off heads of Christians and many other people in the Middle East. They’re chopping heads off, they laugh at us when they hear we’re not going to approve waterboarding and then they’ll have a James Foley and others where they cut off their heads.”
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Trump said during Saturday night’s Republican debate in New Hampshire that he would reinstate waterboarding if elected and “bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding.” But he did not say what he would do that was “worse.”
“You can say what you want I have no doubt that it does work in term of information and other things,” Trump told Tapper.
Trump continued to downplay his second-place finish in Iowa Sunday, accusing Ted Cruz of stealing votes from him, and he also continued saying that he won in Iowa.
When asked by Tapper if his performance in the caucuses meant he would have to win New Hampshire, Trump downplayed expectations for Tuesday.
“I want to win New Hampshire, but I don’t think I have to win it, no,” Trump said.