Paul Nehlen, who faces Ryan in Wisconsin’s primary next week, made the comment in an interview with 560AM’s “Morning Answer” in Chicago when he was asked if he had suggested that the USA deport all Muslims.
Advertisement
When asked how he would implement a test for Muslims, Nehlen said, “The question is why do we have Muslims in the country?” Maybe that’s the point – Ryan doesn’t want to lump Trump and Nehlen into the same group, notwithstanding their public affinity for each other, because then he’ll be stuck explaining why Nehlen’s nationalism is “dark” and anti-conservative whereas Trump’s is … not so dark and anti-conservative that it would require Ryan to un-endorse him, I guess.
“You know what, Paul Ryan wants to play this game – I haven’t made up my mind, either”.
He later added that he was only talking about deporting “Sharia compliant” Muslims from the country. “I am absolutely suggesting we figure out.”, Nehlen said. We should be monitoring every mosque. We should be monitoring all social media.
“The question is, why do we have Muslims in the country?”
“Let’s look back 1,400 years and see how those thought-crimes played out”, he said.
For about 10 minutes, Nehlen stood before TV cameras and laid into Ryan for being “selfish” for not being more supportive of Trump ― all the while reading from a script held right in front of him by a campaign staffer.
Advertisement
Nehlen’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the interview, which was flagged on Twitter by Watchdog Wisconsin education reporter James Wigderson. The Wisconsin congressman faces a primary challenge on Tuesday, August 9th, and as it stands, he will do so without Trump’s support. Trump used Paul Ryan’s own words when asked by the Washington Post if he is supporting the House speaker’s reelection bid against Nehlen: “I’m not quite there yet”.
