Malik Obama. (Getty)
Malik Obama, the half brother of President Barack Obama, is scheduled to be one of Donald Trump’s guests at the third presidential debate.
Malik has endorsed Trump, the Republican nominee, for president. Barack Obama, of course, has endorsed and campaigned for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Malik, 58, is an American citizen who lives in Washington D.C. but was born in Kenya, says The New York Post.
At the last presidential debate, Trump staged a press conference beforehand with women who have accused former President Bill Clinton of sexual assault. This time, he’s raising eyebrows again with his invitation to the president’s brother. Malik Obama is Muslim. He shares a father with the president.
But has Malik Obama really endorsed Trump? What exactly has he said about his reasoning and the presidential election in general?
Here are some of Malik Obama’s most interesting quotes:
On Praise for Donald Trump & Criticism for Hillary Clinton
“I’m excited to be at the debate. Trump can make America great again,” said Malik Obama to The New York Post.
UK Mirror says Malik has also praised the Republican Party and criticized Clinton.
“Something is going on with Hilary that I don’t like,” he said, according to UK Mirror. “Donald on the other hand, he speaks his mind and is straight forward. And remember, the Republican party is the party of Abraham Lincoln – who freed slaves and freed the black man.”
Esquire says Malik Obama insisted he supports Trump “because he speaks from the heart” and added, “Make America Great Again is a great slogan. I would like to meet him.”
Malik also said, according to The Huffington Post, “This Trump guy is a really cool guy and I like him because he speaks from his heart and he is so down to earth.”
On Interactions With His Brother
Malik Obama balance sur son demi-frère Barack: un menteur et un manipulateur – t.co/c3VO0TApqd
“As usual, it was a hands-off kind of thing, very businesslike, very formal,” Malik said of meeting his brother at the White House in 2015, the last time he saw him, The New York Post says.
Malik was Obama’s best man at his wedding, Reuters said, quoting Malik as saying, “To each his own. I speak my mind and I’m not going to be put in a box just because my brother is the President of the United States.”
Malik told the UK Daily Mail that his father drummed it in all of his children that they were special.
“My father instilled that in all of us,” he said. “He used to say, ‘No matter what, you are the very best, because I’m from the best stock. Always keep that in your mind.'”
On His Brother’s Policies as President
Malik has not held back in criticizing his brother’s policies.
In July, he told the program Good Morning Britain, according to The UK Mirror: “Looking back, he (Barack Obama) made so many promises when he was running for president. He was riding on the promise of hope. There was so much excitement and we thought he would do so many things. But look at the Middle East right now. It’s a mess. People are being killed all over the place; Berlin, Florida, France, Brussels. And look at the situation in Iraq right now.”
Malik told UK Daily Mail he tried to talk his brother into leaving Libyan dictator Gaddafi in power.
“I went to see my brother and I said look, this is somebody I know and it’s terrible what is going on. Let’s see if we can talk to him and find some kind of rapprochement. He wasn’t interested. He didn’t want to know, which was very disappointing. But he did tell me that he shook Gaddafi’s hand when they met at a conference in Rome.”
On Trump’s Stance on Muslims
Donald Trump, of course, has proposed controversial immigration bans for Muslims. Malik Obama was asked about this because he is Muslim.
“I’m a Muslim, of course, but you can’t have people going around just shooting people and killing people just in the name of Islam,” he said, according to Reuters.
On the Women Who Accused Donald Trump of Unwanted Sexual Advances
Malik Obama has told the news media he doesn’t believe the multiple women who have come forward to accuse Trump of unwanted physical contact. Trump denies the allegations.
“I don’t believe them,” Malik said, according to The UK Telegraph. “Why didn’t they come forward before?”
On Multiple Wives & Same Sex Marriage
Malik Obama, demi-frère de Barack : « Hillary est malhonnête et menteuse, je soutiens Donald Trump » t.co/79YT0xcgVI
One reason Malik supports Trump is because he doesn’t like same sex marriage.
According to The New York Post, Malik said, “I feel like a Republican now because they don’t stand for same-sex marriage, and that appeals to me.”
However, the Post asked him how many wives he has because of reports that Malik “has at least three current wives, although press reports have put the number as high as 12.” He wouldn’t answer.
“That’s personal,” he said, according to The Post.
The UK Daily Mail quoted him as saying: “There have been 12 wives since my first marriage in 1981, when Barack was my best man. I have done my best with all of them, along with the children.”
And: “I don’t beat my wives, as has been alleged. It’s all b******t. I categorically deny the allegations said to have come from my wife.”
