MSNBC throws shade at Trump's claim he watched 'nonexistent' video

UPDATE, Aug. 5, 10 a.m.: Trump has now said that the video he watched was not of a money-exchange between Iran and the United States, but footage of former American prisoners in Geneva, Switzerland, which his campaign spokesperson had said on Aug. 4.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

---

MSNBC has called out Trump's claim that he watched a "top secret" video of a ransom payment.

Donald Trump has been talking for a day about how he watched a video of the United States paying Iran $400 million for American hostages, and was doing so again on Thursday afternoon when MSNBC decided to call him a liar.

"Trump says he watched (nonexistent) video of Iran receiving cash," read the text at the bottom of the channel's screen. They called the video "nonexistent" because that's what it is. It does not exist. Trump's campaign admitted as much to The Washington Post.

The actual video shows footage from Geneva, Switzerland, on Jan. 17, where American hostages flew after Iran allowed them to leave prison.

When asked whether the video Trump mentioned is actually b-roll footage of a prisoner swap aired on Fox News, Trump spokesperson Hope Hicks replied, "Yes." She added: "Merely the b-roll footage included in every broadcast."

So it appears Trump saw the same video everyone saw, but came up with his own narrative about what was going on. The Republican candidate for president also said Iran recorded the video, though he did not cite how he knows this information.

This, however, may well not be the most unexplainable thing Trump has done this week, let alone in the course of his campaign.

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.