A DAY after US President Barack Obama called for rejecting religious tests for admission into the country, leading Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump proposed a total shutdown of Muslims entering America.
However, the business tycoon turned White House aspirant's remarks were immediately ridiculed by his presidential rivals.
According to a statement issued by his campaign, Trump called for "a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on."
According to Pew Research, among others, there is great hatred towards Americans by large segments of the Muslim population, his campaign said on Monday (December 7).
Most recently, a poll from the Centre for Security Policy released data showing "25 per cent of those polled agreed that violence against Americans here in the United States is justified as a part of the global jihad" and 51 per cent of those polled, "agreed" that Muslims in America should have the choice of being governed according to Shariah.
"Without looking at the various polling data, it is obvious to anybody the hatred is beyond comprehension. Where this hatred comes from and why we will have to determine," Trump said in a statement.
"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.
Trump was immediately slammed by other presidential candidates.
