After UC Merced Attacker’s Name Wasn’t Disclosed Immediately, Trump Said He Found This ‘Interesting’

Donald Trump said Thursday he found it "interesting" President Barack Obama disclosed he would be sending 50 troops overseas to help in the fight against the Islamic State, but that local authorities didn't publicly disclose the name of the suspected California university attacker until one day later.

The remarks came when conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt asked the Republican presidential contender about the Wednesday stabbing attack at the University of California, Merced, campus.

"Yesterday, 18 year old Muslim student named Faisal Mohammed goes on a rampage at the University of California, Merced," Hewitt said. "They don’t release his name until today. Why not, Donald Trump?"

"I don’t know why, and it’s very bad that they don’t, and it’s a little bit unfair that they don’t. And you know, the people of our country have to know what’s going on," Trump initially said. "They have to know what’s going on quickly, and you know, it’s got to take place."

Hewitt speculated that the reason for not immediately identifying the suspect was because of "fear of being thought Islamophobic, because it's a Muslim name." He then asked Trump if he shared his suspicion.

"Well, you know, it’s sort of interesting," Trump said. "When the 50 soldiers, these great soldiers were sent over, as you know, our representatives, these are tremendous guys. When they were sent over, they should have been, that should have been quiet, because now they have a big bounty on their head. You understand that, right?"

"When Obama got up and said we’re sending 50 people over to Syria, and to Iraq, I guess, and probably he doesn’t even know where they’re going, but we’re sending 50 going over there," the real estate tycoon continued. "I said wow, that’s really bad, because those people now, instead of going over quietly and doing what they have to do, people are watching them, looking for them all over the place. And I said that’s something that should be kept quiet. This, I think, is pretty much the opposite."

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