U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Wednesday (December 16) reiterated that his policy to ban Muslims from entering the United States in the wake of a mass shooting in San Bernadino earlier this month is only temporary.
“Did anyone try to talk out of saying we should ‘temporarily ban Muslims from entering the United States,” Kimmel asked Trump, referring to his advisors.
“Well the word is ‘temporarily’ and I have many many friends who are Muslim and they’re great people and actually some of them, not all of them, I will tell you, some of them aren’t so thrilled with what I said. Many of them called me and said, ‘you know what, Donald, you’re right we have a problem, look, there is a problem,” Trump said.
“But isn’t it un-American and wrong to discriminate against people based on their religion?” Kimmel asked.
Trump replied saying that the geographical origin at attackers in Paris last month and in San Bernadino, is a driving force behind his policy.
“We have people coming into our country that are looking to do tremendous harm. You look at the two — look at Paris, look at what happened in Paris, they did not come from Sweden, okay?”
Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for the attacks in Paris that left 130 killed, and authorities say those behind the San Bernadino attacks were inspired by foreign militant groups.
Earlier this month, Trump faced international criticism over a call for a ban on Muslims entering the United States in the most dramatic response by a candidate since the shooting spree by two Muslims in San Bernadino. (Reuters)
