Donald Trump managed to break new ground in December when he announced support for a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.” Just last week, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee was asked if he still stands by his ridiculous position, and Trump reiterated his support for the idea — twice.
As it turns out, just one day later, Sadiq Khan was elected the new mayor of London, becoming the first Muslim ever to lead England’s capital city. Rachel noted the connection between the two stories on Friday’s show: under a Trump administration, the mayor of London wouldn’t be welcome in the United States.
Yesterday, however, Trump suggested his “total and complete shutdown” of Muslims entering the country wouldn’t be total and complete. The New York Times reported:
“There will always be exceptions,” Mr. Trump said when asked in an interview on Monday how his proposed ban would affect London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan. “I was happy to see that,” Mr. Trump said of Mr. Khan’s election. “I think it’s a very good thing, and I hope he does a very good job because frankly that would be very, very good.”Asked why, Mr. Trump said, “Because I think if he does a great job, it will really — you lead by example, always lead by example. If he does a good job and frankly if he does a great job, that would be a terrific thing.”
How gracious of him.
For his part, Sadiq Khan heard about Trump’s willingness to make an exception for him, and the new mayor isn’t interested. The Guardian reported this morning:
“This isn’t just about me — it’s about my friends, my family and everyone who comes from a background similar to mine, anywhere in the world,” Khan said.“Donald Trump’s ignorant view of Islam could make both our countries less safe — it risks alienating mainstream Muslims around the world and plays into the hands of the extremists. Donald Trump and those around him think that western liberal values are incompatible with mainstream Islam — London has proved him wrong.”
For what it’s worth, Hillary Clinton congratulated Khan on his victory, saying on Twitter on Saturday, “Son of a Pakistani bus driver, champion of workers’ rights and human rights, and now Mayor of London. Congrats, @SadiqKhan.”
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Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."