Trump calls for 'complete shutdown' of Muslims entering the US
Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump on Monday called for a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States," the most dramatic response yet to the string of terrorist attacks that have Americans increasingly on edge.
Trump released a statement citing polling data he says shows "there is great hatred towards Americans by large segments of the Muslim population."
Reactions from key political figures:
"Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in Jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life," Trump said.
Just put out a very important policy statement on the extraordinary influx of hatred & danger coming into our country. We must be vigilant!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 7, 2015
Trump's announcement comes the day after President Barack Obama addressed the nation, calling on Americans "to reject religious tests on who we admit into this country."
A number of Republican presidential hopefuls, including Trump, have called on Obama to stop accepting Syrian refugees into the U.S. after last month's deadly attacks in Paris.
Trump, however, is the first to suggest ending Muslim immigration as a whole following the terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California, that killed 14 people.
Democrat Martin O'Malley was the first of Trump's 2016 rivals to respond to the extraordinary proposal, tweeting:
.@realdonaldtrump removes all doubt: he is running for President as a fascist demagogue.
— Martin O'Malley (@MartinOMalley) December 7, 2015
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