Donald Trump on Wednesday night assured CNN’s Don Lemon that there will be exceptions to his proposed ban on all Muslims visiting the United States.
While defending his plan this week, Trump was shaky on the details of who exactly would be barred from entering the country. He indicated throughout several interviews that he would exempt athletes and foreign leaders and clarified that Muslim U.S. citizens would be allowed to return to the U.S. from overseas.
Lemon on Wednesday asked if he would allow foreign diplomats who are Muslim into the country.
“Oh, certainly exceptions can be made,” Trump responded. “We’re not going to say, ‘You can’t come into the country.'”
And Trump confirmed that he would allow Muslim athletes into the U.S. when asked by Lemon.
“Of course there will be exceptions. You can’t keep people out like that. There will certainly be exceptions made,” Trump said.
The CNN host also asked Trump how he would identify Muslims trying to enter the U.S., noting that Trump had said that U.S. customs agents would simply ask people if they are Muslim. Trump told Lemon that there would be paperwork and extensive questioning for people visiting or immigrating to the country.
At another point in the interview, Lemon asked Trump if he is racist.
“I am the least racist person that you have ever met,” Trump responded. “I am the least racist person.”
“Are you bigoted in any way?” Lemon asked.
“I don’t think so, no,” Trump replied. “I don’t think so.”
Finally, Lemon asked Trump if he is Islamophobic.
“No, not at all,” Trump said. “I’m a person who happens to be very smart and I happen to have a certain street sense.”
Watch part of the interview via CNN:
“Well, we need to get a look at each one of them,” Trump continued. “Some of those Muslim women might be carrying something other than a bomb under that burqa.”
Lemon asked what they could be carrying.
“Two bombs, big ones,” said Trump. "Look at my wife. She’s, what, my third? She’ll be getting old here in a few years, and I need to make sure I have extra mistresses for when that happens.
“I love Muslims. They should love me, especially the hot ones.”
Anyone buying or renting a property in a Trump building or visiting a Trump casino or resort is automatically exempt.
The only thing sadder than Trump making this racist proposal in the first place is the media discussing it with him as if it deserves a scintilla of respect.
Shame on them.
Asking Trump to detail a plan that will never be put into action seems an exercise in idiocy.
“Tell me Timmy, what are your plans for you and Fido to fly to the moon?”
Well, phew! Because I was worried President Trump wouldn’t let former President back in the United States after Obama vacationed in Hawaii with his family.
So apparently Trump believes you can be born a Muslim, and once you are born a Muslim it taints you for live. That’s nothing like American racists who believed any black ancestry made you inferior, or anti-Semites who believed a Jewish great grandparent made you a Jew.
Nah, Trump’s no fascist.