Trump Calls for 'Total and Complete Shutdown' of Muslim Immigration

The Proposal

On December 7, 2015, the Trump campaign released a written statement calling for “a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what the hell is going on.” Trump read the statement aloud at a rally in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, where it was met with enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.

The proposal came in the wake of the San Bernardino, California, mass shooting on December 2, in which a married couple inspired by ISIS killed 14 people at a holiday party. Trump cited what he described as deep-seated hatred among Muslims toward Americans, referencing a poll from the Center for Security Policy, a group that multiple fact-checkers noted had a history of promoting anti-Muslim conspiracy theories.

Bipartisan Condemnation

The reaction was unlike anything previously seen in the 2016 campaign. Republican rivals lined up to denounce the proposal. Jeb Bush called Trump “unhinged.” Dick Cheney, the former vice president known for his hawkish national security stance, said the proposal “goes against everything we stand for and believe in.” House Speaker Paul Ryan said the suggestion was “not what this party stands for, and more importantly, it’s not what this country stands for.”

Democrats were equally forceful. President Obama, without naming Trump, warned against proposals that would “betray our values.” Hillary Clinton called the idea “reprehensible, prejudiced, and divisive.” The Council on American-Islamic Relations and other Muslim advocacy groups said the rhetoric was fueling a spike in hate crimes against Muslim Americans.

International Response

The proposal drew sharp criticism from world leaders. British Prime Minister David Cameron called the comments “divisive, stupid, and wrong.” More than half a million people signed a petition to ban Trump from entering the United Kingdom, prompting a parliamentary debate on the question. Leaders across the Middle East warned that such rhetoric served as a recruitment tool for terrorist organizations.

Political Impact

Despite the wall-to-wall condemnation, Trump’s poll numbers in the Republican primary did not decline. In several surveys taken after the announcement, his numbers actually increased. The episode underscored a growing disconnect between the political establishment’s norms and the sentiments of a significant portion of the Republican electorate. The proposal would eventually be softened during the general election into a call for “extreme vetting” of immigrants from countries with a history of terrorism, and after taking office, Trump would sign executive orders restricting travel from several Muslim-majority nations.