LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister David Cameron said Sunday that he’d be happy to meet Donald Trump if he becomes the Republican presidential candidate.
But the British leader repeated his claim that Trump’s proposal for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States is “wrong and divisive.”
Cameron said it was “a very dangerous thing to say” because it makes no distinction between the peaceful Muslim majority and a minority of extremists.
Trump said last week that he was “not going to have a very good relationship” with Cameron, who had previously called Trump’s proposal “divisive, stupid and wrong.”
Trump later moderated his tone, calling Cameron “a nice guy” and saying the prime minister had invited him to visit 10 Downing St.
Cameron’s office said no formal invitation has been made, but it’s customary for prime ministers to meet both Republican and Democrat presidential nominees if they visit Britain.
Asked on ITV’s “Peston on Sunday” show if he’d meet Trump, Cameron said: “I don’t know.”
“American presidential candidates have made a habit of coming through Europe and through the U.K., and if that happens I’d be very happy to,” he said.
Trump’s suggestion of a temporary ban on foreign Muslims entering the U.S. “until our country’s representatives can figure out what the hell is going on” led to a petition signed by half a million people in Britain demanding he be banned from the country. Lawmakers debated the issue, but rejected a ban.
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