After refusing to reprimand a supporter who talked about the “problem” with Muslims in the United States at a town hall this week, Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump doubled down Sunday, saying there is a “very severe problem” with some Muslims.
“It wasn’t people from Sweden who blew up the World Trade Center,” Trump told Jake Tapper on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
“I get that — but to say we have a problem and it’s called Muslims because there are some extremist Muslims, is tarring all Muslims,” said Tapper.
“Well I don’t agree with that at all, but you have extremist Muslims that are in a class by themselves,” said Trump, who leads the Washington Examiner‘s presidential power rankings. “It is a problem in this country and it’s a problem throughout the world. I mean all you have to do is look at Europe.”
“We can be politically correct and say there is no problem whatsoever, but the fact is, there is a problem with some and it’s a very severe problem and it’s a problem that’s taking place all over the world,” Trump said in an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
“I have such great respect and love for so many of the people — they are great people,” he added characteristically. “I know so many Muslims that are such fabulous people.”
He declined to answer whether he would support a Muslim for president, a question Chuck Todd also asked former pediatric neurosurgeon Ben Carson.
At a New Hampshire town hall last week, a man stated: “We have a problem in this country, it’s called Muslims. We know our current president is one… We have training camps growing where they want to kill us.” He went on to ask, “When can we get rid of ’em?”
Trump replied, “We are going to be looking at that and plenty of other things.”
