Donald Trump on Monday upped his call for action against radical Islam in an effort to reclaim the offensive on national security, proposing an ideological test to keep would-be immigrants with radical views out of the US.
The proposal was one of several Trump outlined in an Ohio speech laying out his vision for fighting Islamic extremism. In doing so, he sought to turn the tables on critics who are depicting him as unfit to serve as commander in chief and accused Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton of lacking the "mental and physical stamina" to fight ISIS.
Trump's speech coincided with sagging poll numbers in key swing states, as the Republican nominee has lurched from one controversy to the next. Top Republicans have called on Trump to straighten out his flailing campaign. Painting a grim picture of a world under attack and a homeland threatened by terrorism, Trump argued only he could be trusted to confront the present dangers. He characterized the fight as an ideological struggle on par with that of the Cold War that demands a sweeping rethink of US policies at home and abroad.
The Republican candidate articulated the latest iteration of his controversial proposal to ban all foreign Muslims from the US -- which he hasn't repudiated -- calling on authorities to "temporarily suspend immigration from some of the most dangerous and volatile regions of the world that have a history of exporting terrorism." He also vowed "a swift and decisive end" to "the era of nation-building," promising to galvanize the international community to jointly confront the terrorist threat and vowing to partner with any country willing to join in that mission.
While Trump sought to take his approach to confronting terrorism beyond his heated rhetoric and policies, vowing to work with moderate Muslim communities and countries, the billionaire also called on the US to guard against admitting immigrants and refugees from countries with widespread anti-gay, anti-Semitic or misogynistic views and laws. To that end, the billionaire candidate proposed a more stringent immigration test for admission into the United States to admit only "those who share our values and respect our people."