Donald Trump renewed warnings about Middle Eastern refugees and other
immigrants coming to America on the heels of Sunday’s terror massacre
in Orlando, while claiming thousands already are in the country who –
like the shooter – are “sick with hate.”
Though the gunman, Omar Mateen, was a U.S. citizen,
Trump told Fox News on Monday that the U.S. is allowing others into the
country who are “no different than this maniac.”
“This could be the all-time great Trojan horse,” Trump said, of those being admitted from Syria and other nations.
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee has
only amplified his warnings about immigration and the terror threat
since Sunday’s massacre left 49 dead and even more wounded. At the same
time, he’s aggressively criticized both President Obama and likely
general election rival Hillary Clinton for not initially using the term
“radical Islam” in describing the shooter’s religious background.
“She won’t even utter the words,” Trump said Monday.
On Sunday, Trump had said Obama should “step down” for not using the
term and Clinton should “get out of this race” if she won’t either.
But speaking Monday on NBC’s “Today,” Clinton rejected the criticism.
“I think Trump, as usual, is obsessed with name-calling and from my
perspective, it matters what we do, not what we say,” she said. “It
matters that we got bin Laden, not what name we called him. But if he is
somehow suggesting I don’t call this for what it is, he hasn’t been
listening.”
Clinton called the attack an “act of terror” on Sunday, as did Obama.
But unlike Obama, who did not use the term “radical
Islam,” Clinton elaborated on Monday and addressed some of the religious
motivations.
“I have clearly said that we face terrorist enemies
who use Islam to justify slaughtering innocent people,” she said. “We
have to stop them and we will. We have to defeat radical jihadist
terrorism, and we will. And to me, radical jihadism, radical Islamism, I
think they mean the same thing.
“I’m happy to say either, but that’s not the point. …
I’m not going to demonize and demagogue and declare war on an entire
religion.”
Clinton, who spoke as well on CBS’ “This Morning,”
also said she would push for laws that prevent people on America’s
no-fly list from buying weapons. She also urged tougher restrictions on
“weapons of war,” like the assault-style rifles used in Orlando and San
Bernardino, Calif. – while saying she would set up a federal team
dedicated exclusively to addressing “lone wolf” attacks.
The attack has only fueled tensions in the 2016 race,
as both Trump and Clinton launch into a general election battle after
having effectively clinched their respective nominations. Trump has
tried to cast Clinton as weak on security issues, while the presumptive
Democratic nominee has described Trump as unfit to lead.