• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Leadership

Donald Trump Got Called Out on His Iraq War Flip-Flop

By
Chris Matthews
Chris Matthews
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Chris Matthews
Chris Matthews
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 19, 2016, 9:14 AM ET
Republican Presidential Candidates Debate In Greenville, South Carolina
GREENVILLE, SC - FEBRUARY 13: Presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks in the "Spin Room" following the Republican Presidential debate on February 13, 2016 in Greenville, South Carolina. This evenings debate featured a lively exchange between Trump and fellow candidates Jeb Bush and Ted Cruz.The six remaining candidates will spend the week campaigning before Saturdays primary. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)Photograph by Spencer Platt—Getty Images

Donald Trump was for the war in Iraq before he was against it.

That’s the conclusion many are drawing from a Howard Stern interview that was resurfaced Thursday by Buzzfeed News.

In the September 11th, 2002 interview, Stern asked the real estate magnate whether he supported the proposed invasion of Iraq. Trump responded, ““Yeah I guess so. I wish the first time it was done correctly.”

When asked about the comments during a Town Hall forum sponsored by CNN, Trump said that he didn’t remember the interview. “I could have said that. Nobody asked me—I wasn’t a politician. It was probably the first time anybody asked me that question,” Trump said. “But by the time the war started, I was against the war, and there are articles—I mean, there are headlines in 2003 and 2004—that I was totally against the war.”

 

Donald Trump has reversed his position on many issues, ranging from abortion to universal healthcare, but his rivals have been unable to create the impression among voters that he is an unreliable flip-flopper. The most recent polls have the billionaire leading in national polls, and in the upcoming primary contests in South Carolina and Nevada.

Fortune has contacted the Trump campaign for comment and will update the piece if it responds.

About the Author
By Chris Matthews
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Leadership

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Leadership

jason corso
Commentarydisruption
AI models are choking on junk data
By Jason CorsoMay 3, 2026
6 hours ago
He started as a part-time Starbucks barista at 17. Now he’s an exec designing the menu
SuccessCareer Advice
He started as a part-time Starbucks barista at 17. Now he’s an exec designing the menu
By Orianna Rosa RoyleMay 3, 2026
6 hours ago
The Diary of a CEO founder Steven Bartlett
SuccessThe Interview Playbook
Diary of a CEO founder says he hired someone with ‘zero’ work experience because she ‘thanked the security guard by name’ before the interview
By Emma BurleighMay 3, 2026
7 hours ago
Sam Altman speaks into a microphone
AILabor
Sam Altman says the quiet part out loud, confirming some companies are ‘AI washing’ by blaming unrelated layoffs on the technology
By Sasha RogelbergMay 3, 2026
7 hours ago
blake
CommentaryHousing
I spent a decade selling homes to the ultra-wealthy. What I saw explains the housing market’s nepo problem
By Blake O'ShaughnessyMay 3, 2026
8 hours ago
happiness
Economyhappiness
America got rich and got sad. A top economist says 2020 broke something that hasn’t healed
By Nick LichtenbergMay 3, 2026
8 hours ago

Most Popular

Scott Bessent on financial literacy: 'it drives me crazy' to see young men in blue-collar construction jobs playing the lottery
Personal Finance
Scott Bessent on financial literacy: 'it drives me crazy' to see young men in blue-collar construction jobs playing the lottery
By Fatima Hussein and The Associated PressMay 1, 2026
2 days ago
Gen Z is rebelling against the economy with ‘disillusionomics,’ tackling near 6-figure debt by turning life into a giant list of income streams
Economy
Gen Z is rebelling against the economy with ‘disillusionomics,’ tackling near 6-figure debt by turning life into a giant list of income streams
By Jacqueline MunisMay 2, 2026
1 day ago
America got rich and got sad. A top economist says 2020 broke something that hasn't healed
Economy
America got rich and got sad. A top economist says 2020 broke something that hasn't healed
By Nick LichtenbergMay 3, 2026
8 hours ago
The American household just took an 81% margin cut. Wall Street hasn’t priced it in
Commentary
The American household just took an 81% margin cut. Wall Street hasn’t priced it in
By Katica RoyMay 2, 2026
1 day ago
China dominates the world's lithium supply. The U.S. just found 328 years' worth in its own backyard
North America
China dominates the world's lithium supply. The U.S. just found 328 years' worth in its own backyard
By Jake AngeloApril 30, 2026
3 days ago
Stop donating to Harvard and the Ivy League. There's a better option that MacKenzie Scott already figured out
Commentary
Stop donating to Harvard and the Ivy League. There's a better option that MacKenzie Scott already figured out
By Ed Smith-LewisMay 2, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.