WASHINGTON - Donald Trump has finally acknowledged the fact that President Barack Obama was born in the United States.

Trump said Friday that "that President Barack Obama was born in the United States, period."

As he did so, the Republican nominee repeated the conspiracy theory that Hillary Clinton's 2008 campaign for president started the so-called the "birther controversy."

There is no evidence that is true, and Clinton and her allies have strongly denied that suggestion.

Trump says of the "birther" movement: "I finished it. You know what I mean."

The Republican nominee has for years been the most prominent "birther," the name given to those who propagated the falsehood that Obama was born outside of the country

Trump ignored reporters shouting questions after he delivered his brief statement.

Trump spoke only after first extolling the virtues of his new hotel and after more than 20 minutes of veterans touting the Republican nominee, allowing the candidate to drape himself in patriotism - and receive free publicity from the cable networks carrying the event live.