An anti-abortion advocate who has endorsed Donald Trump dismissed concerns about the GOP nominee’s tweet suggesting people “check out” Alicia Machado’s supposed sex tape.
Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue, an anti-abortion pressure group, said he had no plans to seek out and view the former Miss Universe’s alleged video as Trump suggested. Trump’s latest jab at Machado is a continuation of insults he’s directed at her this week since Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton roasted Trump during Monday night’s presidential debate by highlighting his disparaging treatment of Machado when she was Miss Universe some two decades ago.
But Newman said he considers Trump’s comments “completely irrelevant” to the presidential race.
“For me the issue is the Supreme Court,” Newman told The Huffington Post. “That is the only issue that matters to me.”
Other anti-abortion or evangelical Christian organizations that have either endorsed Trump or spoken highly of him ― including the Family Research Council, the Faith and Freedom Coalition, the Susan B. Anthony List and Liberty University ― did not respond to requests for comment from The Huffington Post.
Trump has had little trouble securing support from the socially conservative voters that are a key component of the Republican coalition. Leading evangelical Christian leaders have embraced his candidacy despite his history of promiscuity and liberal positions on abortion and gay rights.
Newman conceded that he might have preferred a Republican standard bearer who was a better Christian, but he suggested that Trump has taken steps toward a more Christian lifestyle.
“Jesus allows U-Turns. We can turn our lives around,” Newman said. “I turned my life around in my early 20s. Donald Trump has changed his behavior as well.”
When Huffpost pointed out to Newman that Trump had encouraged people to “check out” Machado’s alleged sex tape on Friday, suggesting Trump had not yet reformed his ways, Newman insisted he was not familiar with the exact comment. He then pivoted back to his policy reasons for backing the real estate mogul.
“Both parties are making promises,” Newman concluded. “If you simply go on the platform and the promises they make, the choice is clear.”
Editor’s note: Donald Trump regularly incites political violence and is a serial liar, rampant xenophobe, racist, misogynist and birther who has repeatedly pledged to ban all Muslims — 1.6 billion members of an entire religion — from entering the U.S.
