Paul Ryan: A Muslim Ban Is ‘Not In Our Country’s Interests’

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After presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump reasserted his call for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States, House Speaker Paul Ryan signaled his dissent.

“I do not think a Muslim ban is in our country’s interests,” Ryan said during his press conference this morning. “I do not think it’s reflective of our principles.”

Ryan said he stood by his comments against Trump’s proposed ban in December 2015 after the attacks in Paris in which he described it as “not conservatism” and “not what this party stands for.”

Ryan urged Americans to remember that the fight was against radical Islamic terrorism, and that the majority of Muslims were peaceful and important allies in the fight against terrorism.

“This is a war with radical Islam, it’s not a war with Islam,” he said. “Muslims are our partners. The vast, vast majority of Muslims in this country and around the world are moderate, they’re peaceful, they’re tolerant.”

Ryan chided President Barack Obama for failing to describe the threat as a “war against radical Islam.”

“We don’t think that the administration has done a good enough job confronting this threat,” Ryan said, reminding reporters of his 67 point plan to improve national security.

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