Donald Trump on Muslim ban "expansion," possible Roger Ailes campaign role
Donald Trump denied in an interview broadcast Sunday that he was rolling back his Muslim ban proposal, even suggesting that he is adopting an "expansion" of the policy that would suspend immigration to the U.S. from any countries compromised by terrorism -- including, possibly, Western European allies like France and Germany.
In an interview with NBC News' "Meet the Press," Trump was asked about his Thursday night speech at the Republican convention, where he had said he would "immediately suspend immigration from any nation that has been compromised by terrorism until such time it's proven that vetting mechanisms have been put in place."
When NBC host Chuck Todd noted that it "feels like a slight rollback" in policy, Trump replied: "I don't think so.'
"I actually don't think it's a rollback," Trump said. "In fact, you could say it's an expansion. I'm looking now at territory."
"People were so upset when I used the word Muslim," he added. "Oh, you can't use the word Muslim. Remember this. And I'm okay with that, because I'm talking territory instead of Muslim."
The New York billionaire promised that he would release, in the coming weeks, "a number of the places" from which he would want to cut off immigration.
"We have nations and we'll come out -- I'm going to be coming out over the next few weeks with a number of the places," Trump said. He went on to say that "there are specific problems in Germany and we have problems with France."
Asked if he would limit immigration from France, where Todd noted "they've been compromised by terrorism," Trump replied: "They have totally been. And you know why? It's their own fault. Because they allowed people to come into their territory."
Pushing back on Trump, Todd interjected: "You could get to the point where you're not allowing a lot of people to come into this country."
"Maybe we get to that point," Trump said.
The GOP nominee then went on: "Here is what I want: Extreme vetting. Tough word. Extreme vetting... we're going to have tough standards."
Asked what he would do with refugees from Syria's civil war, Trump suggested that the U.S. would help build "safe havens" in the Middle East for them and have Gulf states pay for them.
"We will help them and we will build safe havens over in Syria," he said. "We, the United States, we'll get Gulf States to pay for it, because we right now, we're going to have $21 trillion very soon -- trillion -- in debt. We will do safe havens and safe zones in Syria and we will get nations that are so wealthy that are not doing anything."
In his wide-ranging interview, Trump also discussed another foreign policy plank: NATO.
Responding to comments by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, calling Trump's questioning of NATO a "rookie mistake," the billionaire said in his Sunday interview that McConnell was "100 percent wrong."
"Frankly it's sad. We have NATO, and we have many countries that aren't paying for what they're supposed to be paying, which is already too little, but they're not paying anyway," Trump said. "And we're giving them a free ride."
Trump also weighed in on Roger Ailes, the embattled ex-Fox News executive ousted from his position after the company investigated sexual harassment allegations against him.
Asked if Ailes is helping or advising the candidate, Trump said, "I don't want to comment, but he's been a friend of mine for a long time."
"I can tell you that some of the women that are complaining, I know how much he's helped them," Trump continued. "And even recently. And when they write books that are fairly recently released, and they say wonderful things about him. And now all of a sudden they're saying these horrible things about him."
Trump defended Ailes, testifying that he is "a very good person" and also "a very, very talented person."
"Look what he's done," the candidate said. "So I feel very badly. But a lot of people are thinking he's going to run my campaign."