Priebus Downplays Trump’s Muslim Ban And Mass Deportation Vows

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Friday, March 4, 2016, in National Harbor, Md. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

On the morning after Donald Trump was elected president, Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus played down concerns about Trump enacting a ban on Muslim immigration or launching a mass deportation program for undocumented immigrants in an an appearance on MSNBC.

“I think everyone learns as they go through this process,” Priebus said, when asked about Muslims and Latinos who may have felt scared by the news of Trump’s election.

“He said that it wasn’t a matter of banning a particular religion from the United States but it was making sure that if immigration was coming from countries that were harboring terrorism, that we were going to look at the country and perhaps suspend temporarily immigration from that country,” Priebus continued. “He’s not calling for mass deportation. He said, no, only people who have committed crimes and only until all of that has been taken care of do we look at what we do next.”

Priebus was also asked if he was going to be Trump’s White House chief of staff. He said that they had not even begun discussing such a possibility, but suggested he would be open to it.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. Now comes the massive walk back. No wall . No repeal of the ACA, no deporting 11 millin. It was all bull shit.

  2. Avatar for imkmu3 imkmu3 says:

    There are times, Priebus, that no amount of spinning will help. You’re comments must sound hollow even to your ears.

  3. Avatar for imkmu3 imkmu3 says:

    If he doesn’t do it, the people that elected him with rise up against him.

    He’ll “govern” exactly as he campaigned.

  4. I pray that every interview and press conference with Priebus, Gingrich, Christie and the rest of them begins with a quote about them from Trump’s campaign, with a request for response and comment.

  5. Avatar for dwward dwward says:

    Who is dumb enough to listen to Reince? He speaks for no one in particular and certainly not for Trump.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

77 more replies

Participants

Avatar for cabchi Avatar for doremus_jessup Avatar for austin_dave Avatar for anniew Avatar for dwward Avatar for sysprog Avatar for ncsteve Avatar for imkmu3 Avatar for trnc Avatar for steviedee111 Avatar for taters Avatar for lastroth Avatar for theghostofeustacetilley Avatar for nemo Avatar for khaaannn Avatar for thunderclapnewman Avatar for rondo Avatar for morrigan_2575 Avatar for rickjones Avatar for jenna33 Avatar for centralasiaexpat Avatar for proudbluegirl72 Avatar for overthefall96 Avatar for coprophagoussmile

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: