Maybe he believed that, maybe not - why would you make assumptions without knowing?
It doesn't make much sense to question what somebody tells you, when they tell you that is what they believed. What you are really doing is calling that person a liar. So, is that what you are doing? He is on record as saying that is what he believed. So, if you don't think he believed that, what evidence do you have to the contrary? That would take the ability to read his mind. I don't know of anyone who has that power.