Donald Trump's campaign is readying a policy memo that will replace his controversial call for a moratorium on Muslim immigration with a ban on people from countries known to train and equip terrorists, CNN reports.
Trump made much the same statement on Saturday when asked about his immigration policy
during an interview when he was promoting his new golf course in Scotland.
"I want terrorists out. I want people that have bad thoughts out. I would limit specific terrorist countries and we know who those terrorist countries are," Trump told reporters in Scotland.
He also tweeted about the issue on Saturday:
Panelists on CNN's
"The Situation Room" Monday called Trump's newest proposal no better than his previous calls for a complete Muslim ban and showed he still isn't thinking seriously about the issue.
"He may be able to do it optically and rhetorically, but that's a ridiculous proposal," said conservative pundit S.E. Cupp. "Just look at some of the recent European terrorist attacks, perpetrated by Europeans. Yes, Muslims, but Europeans. How would we stop a homegrown European terrorist from coming over if they are coming from France or Brussels or Great Britain?
Trump appears to be "cowing" to Republican leaders who have accused him of going too far on the Muslim ban, Cupp said.
Trump had the opportunity to pivot earlier in the campaign, said Peter Beinart of The Atlantic, but already has "wrecked that opportunity."
Trump's national spokeswoman Katrina Pierson told CNN that the policy has not changed, but had been misreported by the media as being an all-out ban on Muslims.
"It was simply for Muslim immigration," Pierson said. "He's adding specifics to clarify what his position is as opposed to what the media has been reporting. There has been no change. Mr. Trump still wants to stop individuals from coming into the country who cannot be vetted."
Since Trump's initial call for a moratorium on Muslim immigration, the CIA and FBI have said Islamic State (ISIS) soldiers are attempting to infiltrate the Syrian refugee program in the United States, Pierson said. "Mr. Trump does not want that."
Trump initially called for the ban until the U.S. government can "figure out what the hell is going on." Pierson said that is still the case.
"What I'm saying again is the initial ban on Muslims immigrating into the country that cannot be vetted," she said. "If you can be vetted, it's a different story. He's talking about those that are a threat to this nation."
Pressed on Trump's plan for vetting, Pierson said the vetting process must be created by agencies such as Homeland Security.
It is Democrat Hillary Clinton who should answer why she wants to bring in tens of thousands more refugees into middle-class communities who are not properly vetted, she said.
"These refugees are not being resettled in the affluent communities or the politicians' neighborhoods," she said. "Maybe she needs to tell us what vetting process makes it OK."
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