I literally think he explicitly said that because I have seen him explicitly saying that, vert clearly, while contrasting it with something else. There was nothing off the cuff about it; agree with it or not, it was obviously a position into which thought had beten put and which had a clear rationale and important place in his world-view.

Now, there’s probably an argument that could be made that at least some of what people are trying to suggest by pointing to his rejection of empathy is contradicted by his support of sympathy in the same statement. But to make that argument, you’d have to not be doing the same kind of shallow tribal reaction posting that ignores facts and substance that you are accusing others of.