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U.S. Republican Presidential Nominee Donald Trump once again claimed that President Barack Obama that he helped "found" Islamic State group, days after saying he was being sarcastic when he first leveled the charge.
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"It's the opinion of myself and a lot of people that he was the founder," Trump told a rally on Saturday.
Democrats and Republicans alike have criticized Trump's assertion as patently false.
Trump first made the accusation at a campaign event on Wednesday and then repeated the charge during a radio interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt on Thursday.
Hewitt even tried to give Trump a lifeline, asking if he meant Obama created the conditions for the Islamic State group to arise.
“No, I meant he’s the founder of ISIS. I do,” Trump told Hewitt, suggesting he sincerely believed Obama started the militant group.
Facing bipartisan backlash, Trump backed away from those comments on Friday, only to return to them on Saturday.
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The Republican nominee's decision to hold an event in Connecticut also raised eyebrows, as it is a state where he has a long-shot of being victorious.
“It's asinine that he would be in Connecticut holding a public rally less than 90 days before the election,” said Republican strategist Matt Mackowiak.
“I have to think this proves the candidate is running the campaign, which explains why it's such a disaster of biblical proportions,” added Mackowiak.
The erratic campaign by the Republican nominee seems to hurting his effort to reach the White House. A Wall Street Journal/NBC News/Marist poll released on Friday suggested support for Trump is eroding among voters in three battleground states.
Trump's troubles are opening up ground for his Democratic rival to conquer as Clinton tries to win over disaffected Republicans. Earlier this week the Hillary Clinton campaign formally launched an effort to woo Republicans and independents, with the project being dubbed "Together for America."
The Clinton campaign has been parading notable neo-conservative figures such as John Negroponte, a figure much-reviled throughout Latin America.
The messaging from the Democratic campaign over the past has also had a decidedly right-wing flavor, marking a departure from Clinton's efforts to portray herself as a progressive.
Hillary Clinton successfully fended off a challenge during the Democratic primaries from the leftist Bernie Sanders by casting herself as progressive despite a long record of support for right-wing policies.
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