The presumptive Republican nominee has attacked U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel – born in IN to Mexican-born parents and presiding over a lawsuit involving Trump University – as a “hater of Donald Trump”.
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Ayotte on Sunday night reacted to Trump’s controversial comments on Friday and on Sunday morning.
Donald Trump showed up in a television show and to a question regarding a Muslim judge would treat him unfairly owing to his ban Muslims policy said “It’s possible, yes”.
“He is a member of a club or society, very strongly pro-Mexican, which is all fine”, Trump said of Curiel on “Face the Nation”.
“I’m talking about common sense. OK? I thought it was inappropriate what he said”, Trump said. He’s somebody – he is proud of his heritage.
Gingrich said Trump’s repeated attacks on Judge Gonzalo Curiel have not dulled his enthusiasm for the billionaire.
“But you’re saying it’s a barrier to him doing his job”, the host countered.
Trump believed that the Muslim judge would be biased because of his controversial proposal to temporarily bar Muslims from entering the United States.
Gingrich is one of several prominent Republicans urging Trump to lay off Curiel and unify the GOP.
“But he’s an American”, Mr. Tapper said of the jurist.
After the presumptive Republican presidential nominee implied numerous times that Curiel’s heritage had everything to do with his decision, Tapper questioned, “If you are saying he can not do his job because of his race, is that not the definition of racism?”
Speaker Paul Ryan, who had just endorsed Trump in a lengthy op-ed from his hometown in Wisconsin, said Trump’s comments “came out of left field”.
But Trump did not comment on the other Republican leaders’ widespread call for him to lay off the jurist, a sign that the GOP presidential candidate doesn’t want to blow up the fragile truce he has struck with them.
Trump has been calling for Curiel, who was born in the United States, to excuse himself from the Trump University case because of his “Mexican heritage“.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told NBC’s Meet the Press that he “couldn’t disagree more” with Trump’s recent attacks on Curiel. “I am concerned about that and I hope he will change his direction on that”.
Hillary Clinton has been far more explicit in her attacks on Trump, saying on Sunday that her rival is “trying to divert attention from the very serious fraud charges against Trump University”.
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Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) called Trump’s comments “absolutely unacceptable” in a statement Monday. Bob Corker, said on ABC News’ “This Week” that he did not “condone” Trump’s comments.
