Republican presidential candidate and former pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson called the Muslim faith incompatible with the Constitution and said he would not support a Muslim for president of the United States.
Asked whether a president’s faith mattered, Carson responded on “Meet the Press” Sunday, “I guess it depends on what that faith is. If it’s inconsistent with the values and principles of America, then of course it should matter. But if it fits within the realm of America and [it’s] consistent with the Constitution, [then] no problem.”
“Do you believe that Islam is consistent with the Constitution?” asked Chuck Todd.
“I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation,” replied Carson, who is third in the Washington Examiner‘s presidential power rankings. “I absolutely would not agree with that.”
Carson was asked these questions in light of Republican front-runner Donald Trump’s choice to not reprimand a supporter who said at a town hall meeting that Muslims were a “problem” in the United States.
Carson added that he has “no reason to doubt” that President Obama was born in the United States and is a Christian.
Trump was asked a similar question Sunday about whether he would be comfortable with a Muslim as president.
Dodging the question at first, Trump responded, “It’s something that at some point could happen.”
He then added: “Would I be comfortable? I don’t know if we have to address it right now.”
