Donald Trump
Donald TrumpTrump's son: We'll get the last laugh Obama mocks GOP, media and himself in final WHCD address Obama jabs at GOP: Is this dinner too tacky for the Donald? MORE is distancing himself from the suggestion that he wants to create a database to track Muslims in the U.S.
In a tweet on Friday, he said the idea came from a reporter.
I didn't suggest a database-a reporter did. We must defeat Islamic terrorism & have surveillance, including a watch list, to protect America
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 20, 2015Trump refused to rule out a database and special IDs for Muslims in an interview with Yahoo! on Thursday.
“Certain things will be done that we never thought would happen in this country in terms of information and learning about the enemy,” he said when asked if he would implement the programs.
After he was asked about the comment later that evening by an NBC News reporter, Trump said he would “certainly implement” a database to track Muslims in the U.S.
When asked whether Muslims would be legally required to sign up for the database, he said, “They have to be. They have to be.”
The GOP primary front-runner has been widely criticized for the controversial comments that come after the terrorist attack in Paris last week.
Fellow Republican presidential candidates Jeb Bush and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) have refused to back the plans.
Democratic primary front-runner Hillary Clinton
Hillary Rodham ClintonObama mocks GOP, media and himself in final WHCD address Obama teases Clinton: She's like 'your relative who just signed up for Facebook' What Obama said about this year's candidates in past WHCD jokes MORE said Trump’s rhetoric on Muslims is “shocking," while rival Bernie Sanders
Bernie SandersObama mocks GOP, media and himself in final WHCD address Larry Wilmore mocks Sanders's age: He usually goes to the early-bird dinner Obama gives shoutout to Sanders at correspondents' dinner MORE called it "outrageous and bigoted."
-Updated at 4:26 p.m.
