CNN quotes Trump as supporting 'racial profiling' — but transcripts tell a different story

CNN found itself on the receiving end of serious criticism Monday after the cable network added the word "racial" to Republican presidential Donald Trump's remarks about profiling in the wake of bombings in New York and New Jersey over the weekend.

The network falsely quoted Trump as saying "racial profiling" when the candidate said that police should utilize “profiling” in an effort to combat terrorism.

In a telephone interview Monday on Fox News' “Fox and Friends,” Trump said he would “knock the hell out of” terrorist groups as president. He went on to say that police “are afraid to do anything” to stop terrorist attacks “because they don’t want to be accused of profiling.”

Trump advocated adopting a system of profiling similar to Israel’s.

“You know in Israel, they profile,” he said. “They’ve done an unbelievable job, as good as you can do.”

According to a transcript of the interview, Trump's remarks about profiling did not include the word “racial.”

In another Fox News interview Monday, "The O'Reilly Factor" host Bill O’Reilly asked Trump if he wants to “profile certain Muslims.” Trump’s remarks in that interview also did not include the word “racial.”

“Well, first of all, I never said that they were Muslims,” Trump said. “You did. You told me Muslims. I didn't say that. I am saying, you go into profile, people that maybe look suspicious. I didn't say they were Muslims.”

“But how do they look suspicious? I mean, how?” O’Reilly pressed.

“I don't know,” Trump replied. “These are experts. That's what they do. They profile. You go to Israel and they should study it because Israel has done a phenomenal job about this. And they profile. And they are not happy about it but they do it. And people aren't complaining about it but we have to profile.”

“But I'm not using the term Muslim,” Trump added. “I am saying, you're going to have to profile.”

The Hill’s Joe Concha noted:

CNN has been running headlines throughout the day that specifically quotes Trump as saying "racial profiling" and the Fox News excerpts the network sent out Monday evening also framed his quotes as responses to questions about "racial profiling." CNN.com also is using the term racial profiling in its headlines.

Some argued that Trump’s remarks implied racial profiling, to which Concha replied:

The Twitterverse had some thoughts about CNN's "report":

A spokesperson for CNN did not immediately return TheBlaze’s request for comment.

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