Soap opera actor Antonio Sabàto Jr. said he believes that President Barack Obama is “absolutely” a Muslim during an interview at the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Monday, July 18. Watch the clip above.
While his speech advocating for Donald Trump was nothing out of the ordinary, the General Hospital and The Bold and the Beautiful star later caused a stir by questioning POTUS’ religion during a sit-down with ABC News.
“He does not attend church. He has never talked about Jesus Christ once. I’ve met a lot of Christians. I know Christians. I am one. I don’t believe he is,” he told ABC News. “We had a Muslim president for seven and a half years.”
When asked by two reporters what proof he has to back up his beliefs, Sabàto said, “It’s in my heart. I just see it for what it is. I believe that he’s on the other side … the Middle East. He’s with the bad guys. He’s with them. He’s not with us, he’s not with this country.”
Obama has refuted any “silly” claims that he’s a Muslim since the beginning of his 2008 presidential campaign. “I’ve been to the same church — the same Christian church — for almost 20 years,” he said at a South Carolina campaign stop. “I was sworn in with my hand on the family Bible. Whenever I’m in the United States Senate, I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. So if you get some silly e-mail … send it back to whoever sent it and tell them this is all crazy. Educate.”
Sabàto said he’s not concerned that his controversial comments and support for Trump will affect his career as an actor. “I met him the first time 20-some years ago and he’s the same guy 20 years ago that I met that I see now. He hasn’t changed, so I respect that. I knew he was going to win from the beginning,” the Dancing With the Stars alum said of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. “I like a little honesty.”
See all the highlights from the RNC here.
