During the first GOP debate of the year, frontrunner Donald Trump did not walk back his comments proposing to ban all Muslims from entering the United States.
When asked whether he would rethink the controversial proposal, Trump bluntly said “no,” adding “we have to stop with political correctness.”
Trump said that his proposals would keep the United States safe, adding that the U.S. “can’t be the stupid country anymore.”
“We’re laughed at all over the world,” Trump said. The real-estate mogul also reiterated that his “great Muslim friends” have thanked him for taking a strong stance on the issue.
“We have a tremendous problem with radical Islam,” Trump said.
In response to Trump’s proposal, fellow contender Jeb Bush asked Trump “all Muslims? Seriously?”
Ohio Governor John Kasich said that pausing allowing Syrian refugees into the United States is a strategic move to improving national security.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said that banning all Muslims is not a reasonable proposal, but said that “you have to ban radical Islamic jihadists.”
AP
