Trump spokesman denies Muslim registry but promises 'vetting policies'
A DONALD TRUMP spokesman has claimed the President-elect “never advocated” for a Muslim registry despite video footage showing him endorsing the idea.
Trump: Registry of Muslims possible with good management
Jason Miller, communications director for Mr Trump’s transition team, released a statement yesterday in response to claims that the incoming administration had been considering a register for Muslims arriving in America.
He said: “President-elect Trump has never advocated for any registry or system that tracks individuals based on their religion, and to imply otherwise is completely false.
“The national registry of foreign visitors from countries with high terrorism activity that was in place during the Bush and Obama administrations gave intelligence and law enforcement communities additional tools to keep our country safe.
“But the president-elect plans on releasing his own vetting policies after he is sworn in.”
President-elect Trump has never advocated for any registry or system that tracks individuals based on their religion, and to imply otherwise is completely false
However, footage from a campaign rally in Newton, Iowa, in November last year, appears to contradict official lines.
An NBC News reporter is heard asking the billionaire businessman if he would implement a database of Muslims, to which Mr Trump replied: “I would certainly implement that. Absolutely.
“There should be a lot of systems, beyond databases, we should have a lot of systems.
“And today you can do it, but right now we have to have a border, we have to have strength, we have to have a wall and we cannot let what’s happening to this country happen any longer.”
US billionaire compares Trump Muslim plans to Nazi Germany
Mr Trump repeatedly said he planned to “stop people coming into our country illegally” in the video clip.
When asked how the system would work with regards to tracking Muslims specifically, he said it would be down to “good management”.
He said: “What you have to do is good management procedures and we can do that.
“The key is, people can come to the country but they have to come in legally.”
The latest statement comes after Kris Kobach, an adviser to Donald Trump, revealed the businessman’s team is going to "hit the ground running" with some of his most controversial policies.
The Kansas secretary of state said Mr Trump, who initially called for a "total and complete shut down of Muslims" entering the US, will instead opt for a system of extreme vetting after his shock White House win.