SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.V. – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement after President Donald Trump declared Wednesday he believes torture works and as his administration readies an executive order that would clear the way for the CIA to reopen overseas “black site” prisons, where it detained and tortured terrorism suspects:

“Does Donald Trump really want to defy the Geneva Conventions and international law and make torture an official policy of the United States government? Does Trump really want to lead this country into shame and barbarity, and undermine the values that have made us a great and respected nation? Does Trump really want to ignore the advice of U.S. military leaders who vigorously oppose torture? Does Trump really want to tell our military adversaries that, if America does it, they also have the right to torture captured American soldiers? Whatever Trump may or may not want, Congress and the American people must defend American values. No torture.”