Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union,” while discussing a questioner at his town hall last week asking Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump about Muslims in America, which included President Barack Obama, host Jake Tapper asked Trump on whether or not America has a problem with Muslims as the questioner suggested.
Tapper said, “Mr. Trump, forget the notion of defending President Obama for a second. I don’t want to talk about that. You are running to be president of United States of America. That includes millions of peaceful, law-abiding Muslims who love this country. This man said, quote, ‘We have a problem in this country called Muslims.’ You’re not responsible for what he says, but this is unvarnished ignorant bigotry. You are a leader. you are the front-runner in the Republican race. Do you not have a responsibility to call out the hatred?”
Trump answered, “We could be politically correct, if you want, but are you trying to say we don’t have a problem? I think everybody would agree. I have friends that are Muslims. They’re great people, amazing people, and most Muslims like most everything these are fabulous people, but we certainly do have a problem. I mean, you have a problem throughout the world.”
Tapper pushed, “What’s the problem?”
Trump continued, “Well, you have radicals that are doing things. It wasn’t people from Sweden that blow up the World Trade Center.
Tapper said, “I get that. To say we have a problem and it is called Muslims because there are some extremist Muslims is tarring all Muslims. You would agree?”
Trump said, “I don’t agree with that at all. You have extremism Muslims in a class by themselves. It is a problem in this country and it’s a problem throughout the world.”
Tapper replied, “What if he said we have a problem in this world it’s called blacks. Would you have said something then?”
Trump countered, “No. I listened to his questions. I listened to his questions and he made a question — probably statement but I listened to his question and I actually didn’t respond. This was the first time — because over the weekend as you know few covered it but CNN covered it like it was a big subject and I said it’s the first time I’ve had a situation like this where I didn’t say anything. So it was a question that was asked in front of a totally packed house. Nobody thought much of it until the following couple of hours when it came became a pretty big subject. We have a problem with radical Muslims. there’s no question about that. I think you would be the first to admit that.”
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