Trump Shifts Muslim Ban to Only Focus on 'Terrorist' Nations

ByKATHERINE FAULDERS ABCNews logo
Sunday, June 26, 2016

Donald Trump said today it "wouldn't bother me" if Scottish Muslims came to the United States, seeming to move away from the temporary ban on all Muslims coming to the United States that he has called for throughout his presidential campaign.

In interviews at his golf course in Aberdeen, Scotland, Trump went further, saying that the ban would be focused on "terrorist" countries, shifting from his previous proposal of "a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States."

The campaign says his comments are consistent with his foreign policy speech after the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida. However, in the speech the campaign is referring to, Trump did not indicate he was shifting away from his blanket ban, nor did he specifically say his ban would only apply to Muslims in terrorist countries.

In that speech Trump also said he would "suspend immigration from areas of the world where there is a proven history of terrorism against the United States."

"Although the pause is temporary, we must find out what is going on," he said. "We have to do it. It will be lifted, this ban, when and as a nation we're in a position to properly and perfectly screen these people coming into our country."

ABC News has requested specifics regarding whether Trump still supports a blanket ban on all Muslims, and how he plans to distinguish "terrorist" countries from safer locales.

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