Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump fired back at
"Meet the Press" moderator Chuck Todd on Sunday as he was pressed on the truthfulness of his claims on Muslim celebrations of the 9/11 attacks and the number of Syrian refugees.
Todd began the segment asking, "Can anything stop Donald Trump? Even the truth?"
Interviews with supporters at rallies showed that some admit all of Trump's claims may not be accurate, but it isn't a concern.
"The truth? You know what? He may [bend the truth] but he's still going to get things done," one woman at a rally said.
"When the media asks questions about him bending the truth, what's going on in Washington right now? There's never been more truth bending in our lives," a man told a reporter.
Trump then was brought on live on the phone, and Todd challenged Trump, saying that Trump has demanded "pinpoint accuracy" from the media reporting on him, including his net worth.
"Why shouldn't we demand the same pinpoint accuracy in the claims that you make?" Todd asked. "Isn't it hypocritical of you calling us out if we're not calling you out when you stray from the truth?
"Mr. Trump, if I said 'Well, people have said Mr. Trump's net worth is $10 billion' you would say that was crazy … based on retweets and based on hearsay," Todd said.
A fired-up Trump insisted, "This is much different."
Todd countered that since Trump is running for president, "Your words matter. Truthfulness matters. Fact-based stuff matters."
"Take it easy, Chuck. Just play cool," Trump said.
He stood by his claim that President Barack Obama wants to allow 200,000 Syrian refugees into the country, not just the 10,000 the government claims. And he said he has been told by hundreds of people in person and on Twitter that they, too, saw Muslims in New Jersey on television celebrating the 9/11 attack on New York City.
Fact-checkers have said no such celebrations have been verified and that a report about them in The Washington Post turned out to be only a rumor. Critics say Trump is conflating those reports with actual TV images of people in the Middle East cheering the attacks.
"I have a very good memory, Chuck, I'll tell you, I have a very good memory," Trump said. "I saw it somewhere on television many years ago, and I never forgot it. And it was on television, too."
Trump also was asked about Robert Lewis Dear, the man accused of killing three people on Friday at a Planned Parenthood in Colorado.
"He's a maniac," Trump said.
Critics on the left have said the undercover videos recently released by an anti-abortion group spurred Dear to act, citing reports he told police
"no more baby parts" – a reference to the videos showing Planned Parenthood officials discussing the sale of fetal tissue for research.
"No, I think he's a sick person and I think he was probably a person ready to go," Trump said. "We don't even know the purpose. I mean, he hasn't come out to the best of my knowledge with a statement as to why it happened to be at that location."
On the issue of Trump hinting again he might run third party, Todd asked if there was a way he could lose the GOP and not feel he was treated unfairly by the party.
"Yes, there is," Trump said, "And there's also a way I could lose the nomination and feel that I was treated unfairly by the Republican Party."
Trump said he has yet to make up his own mind whether he is being treated fairly, but added that many of his supporters feel his isn't. He cited negative ads by "these guys that are down at 1 percent and 2 percent."
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