Donald Trump says torture ‘ABSOLUTELY’ works & will fight ‘FIRE WITH FIRE’ against ISIS

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DONALD Trump has said torture “absolutely” works after he asked experts

The US President said he reached his conclusion after speaking to a number of experts, during am interview with ABC News.

President Trump said: “I’ve spoken in recent days with people at the highest level of intelligence, and I’ve asked them: ‘Does torture work?’ And the answer was ‘Yes, absolutely’.

“I want to do everything within the bounds of what you’re allowed to do legally. But do I feel it works? Absolutely, I feel it works.”

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As far as I’m concerned, we have to fight fire with fire

President Trump

Although the President said he would have to refer the issue to his defence team, his comments sparked fears the technique may be reintroduced because of the countless promises he made during his campaign trail.

At one rally he said he will bring torture techniques that were “a hell of a lot worse” than the waterboarding George W Bush encouraged the CIA to use during his time in office.

Shortly after Trump’s interview, Senator John McCain, a Vietnam war torture survivor said he and his colleagues will do all they can to prevent torture coming back to the US.

McCain, the Republican candidate for US President in 2008, said in a statement: "We are not bringing back torture. The President can sign whatever executive orders he likes. But the law is the law. We are not bringing back torture in the United States of America."

Trump’s comments come amid reports from the New York Times he will draft an executive order titled ‘Detention and Interrogation of Enemy Combatants’.

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Former President George Bush encouraged the CIA to use waterboarding techniques

The rumoured executive order will allow the CIA to reopen notorious ‘black site’ prisons overseas which were shut down by former US President Obama because they used to torture terrorist suspects.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer slapped down the rumour.

He said: “It is not a White House document. I have no idea where it came from. But it is not a White House document.”

In reference to combatting ISIS, President Trump added: “When ISIS is doing things that no one has ever heard of, since medieval times, would I feel strongly about waterboarding?

“As far as I’m concerned, we have to fight fire with fire.”

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Theresa May has faced calls to denounce Trump's ideas of torture during her US visit on Friday

Ahead of her White House visit, Theresa May faced calls to oppose the reintroduction of torture during her meeting with the President.

The Prime Minister's official spokeswoman said that establishing a close relationship with Mr Trump would allow Mrs May to raise issues like torture "frankly and directly".

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