Donald Trump backtracks on Muslim ban, says it was 'just a suggestion'

A Muslim woman protests outside Trump Tower.
(Image credit: Kena Betancur/AFP/Getty Images)

Donald Trump demanded a "complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States" in December only to deny it on Wednesday, saying the plan was "only a suggestion."

"We have a serious problem and it's a temporary ban — it hasn't been called for yet, nobody's done it, this is just a suggestion until we find out what's going on," Trump told Fox News just five months after releasing a statement that explicitly said, "Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on."

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.