Trump Campaign Looks to Soften Comments on Mexicans, Muslims
CONCORD — Nothing on this year’s campaign trail has been as divisive as real estate mogul Donald J. Trump’s stances on how to deal with illegal immigration and domestic terrorism. First, on immigrants, it was:
“They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime. They’re rapists and some, I assume, are good people, but I speak to border guards and they’re telling us what we’re getting.”
Then, on stopping radical Jihadists, it was:
“a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.”
These statements have been seen as prejudicial by some and pragmatic by others. Throughout the months since Trump has made these statements, he and his campaign have not backed down. At every turn, they’ve defended and expanded upon those two proposals. However, it now appears as though those within the Trump campaign have recognized the eggshells they have set themselves up on with such contentious rhetoric.
Speaking with those in the Trump camp, they were quick to show their support for his plans, but even quicker to state how these plans had been misrepresented. One top Trump advisor, when speaking about the candidate’s broad appeal across party lines, made sure to add that Trump also had broad appeal across ethnic and religious lines, and that the media had misrepresented that.
A New Hampshire state representative who’s endorsing and advising Trump emphasized heavily that the idea that the billionaire businessman is racist or anti-Muslim is simply false. He harped on the oft-forgotten (he claimed via malicious intent) second half of Trump’s statement, “[…]until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.” In this state representative’s mind,
“It’s not about Muslims, it’s not about Mexicans, we just need to fix the system.”
The Trump campaign overall appears highly dedicated to echoing this sentiment, and deflecting backlash that has arisen from his abraisive language.
