Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump said on Monday that the use of waterboarding is “fine” and is doubling down on his call for the U.S. to re-institute the practice for interrogating foreign prisoners.
Trump, speaking to a group of voters in Salem, N.H., called the use of waterboarding “peanuts” compared to practices currently being used by the Islamic State group on hostages and prisoners.
The candidate asked the group of supporters if they agreed with his stance, which was followed by cheers and applause.
When asked about his stance on waterboarding during ABC’s Republican presidential debate on Saturday, Trump said that he would bring it back and that he “I would bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding.”
Waterboarding is currently accepted as torture internationally and forbidden by U.S. law.