Donald Trump is doubling down on his claim that President Obama “founded” the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

“Last night you said that the president was the founder of ISIS,” said radio host Hugh Hewitt in a Thursday interview with Trump, the Republican presidential nominee. “I know what you meant. You meant that he created the vacuum. He lost the peace.”

“No, I meant that he’s the founder of ISIS,” Trump replied. “He was the most valuable player. I gave him the most valuable player award.”

Trump went on to say that voters approve of his controversial remark. 

“No, it’s not a mistake,” he said on “The Hugh Hewitt Show.” “Everyone’s liking it. I think they’re liking it.

{mosads}“I give him the most valuable player award,” Trump continued. “I mean, with his bad policies, that’s why ISIS came about. If he would have done things properly, you wouldn’t have had ISIS. Therefore, he was the founder of ISIS.”

Trump said that even though Obama is now fighting ISIS, he helped spawn the terrorist group.

“I don’t care,” he said. “He was the founder. The way he got out of Iraq, that was the founding of ISIS, OK?”

Trump also blamed Hillary Clinton, Obama’s first-term secretary of State and the Democratic presidential nominee.

“I gave the co-founder to Hillary,” Trump said.

Trump on Wednesday blamed Obama and Clinton for “founding” ISIS with their foreign policy decisions.

“ISIS is honoring President Obama,” he said during a rally in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “He’s the founder of ISIS. He founded ISIS.

“I would say the co-founder would be Crooked Hillary Clinton,” Trump added.

Trump criticized Obama’s decision to withdraw troops from Iraq, saying it gave ISIS a foothold.

“We should never have gotten out the way we got out. We unleashed terrible fury all over the Middle East.”