White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer made the bizarre claim on Monday that Adolf Hitler never stooped to the level of using chemical weapons, as Syria's Bashar al-Assad has.
When asked if Spicer thought there was any reason to think that Russia would pull back from supporting their decades-long ally, Syria, Spicer seemed to muddle some facts regarding World War II history. Following is a transcript:
SEAN SPICER:We didn't use chemical weapons in World War II. You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didn't even sink to using chemical weapons. If you're Russia, you have to ask yourself "is this is a country and regime that you want to align yourself with?"
You have previously signed on to international agreements, rightfully acknowledging that the use of chemical weapons should be out of bounds by every country.
REPORTER:Uh, quote "Hitler didn't even sink to the level of using chemical weapons.” What did you mean by that?
SPICER:I think when you come to sarin gas, there was no — he was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing. I mean there was clearly ... I understand your point, thank you. I, thank you. I appreciate that. There was not ... in the ... he brought them into the, to ... to the Holocaust Center, I understand that, what I'm saying, in the way that Assad used them where he went into towns, dropped them down to innocents into the middle of towns, it was brought … so, the use of it, I appreciate the clarification, that was not the intent.