Donald Trump on Wednesday hit back at the new London mayor, who this week criticized the presumptive Republican presidential nominee’s proposed ban on Muslims entering the United States.
“Well, I assume he denies that there’s Islamic terrorism. If you look at this radical Islamic terrorism all over the world right now, it’s a disaster what’s going on. I assume he’s denying that. I assume he’s like our President that’s denying it’s taking place,” Trump said on Fox News radio’s “Kilmeade and Friends” when asked about the London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s comments.
Khan, who is Muslim, remarked earlier in the week that Trump’s proposed ban would keep him out of the United States. When Trump offered an exception for Khan, the London Mayor said that an exception wasn’t enough, again criticizing Trump’s proposal.
“This isn’t just about me – it’s about my friends, my family and everyone who comes from a background similar to mine, anywhere in the world,” Khan said on Tuesday. “Donald Trump’s ignorant view of Islam could make both our countries less safe – it risks alienating mainstream Muslims around the world and plays into the hands of the extremists.”
During his Wednesday interview on “Kilmeade and Friends,” Trump defended his proposed ban, describing it as a “suggestion.”
“It’s a temporary ban. It hasn’t been called for yet. Nobody’s done it. This is just a suggestion until we find out what’s going on. But we have radical Islamic terrorism all over the world. You can start at the World Trade Center, frankly, you can go to Paris, you can go to San Bernardino, all over the world,” Trump said. “If they want to deny it, they can deny it. I don’t choose to deny it.”