During his Tuesday night appearance on the “O Reilly Factor,” when asked if America should allow refugees fleeing North Africa and the Middle East into America, Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump answered, “You have to.”
“I hate the concept of it, but on a humanitarian basis, with what’s happening, you have to,” Trump told “Factor” host Bill O’Reilly. “This was started by President Obama when he didn’t go in and do the job he should have when he drew the line in the sand, which turned out to be a very artificial line. But you know, it’s a living in hell in Syria. There’s no question about it. They’re living in hell, and something has to be done.”
Overall, and just a few days after failing Hugh Hewitt’s pop quiz, Trump showed an impressive grasp of what’s going on in the region. He spoke at length about the players and the inter-dynamics of a complicated series of crises. He also laid much of the blame for the refugee crisis on President Obama’s objectively failed foreign policy.
Nevertheless, three words — “you have to” — are what made headlines.
In his June announcement speech Trump galvanized much of his base by breaking from the GOP Establishment to take a hard line on illegal immigration, specifically along our southern border. Unlike most of the Republican field and all of the mainstream media, Trump based this hard line on a truth most people refuse to speak: illegal immigration costs American taxpayers upwards of $100 billion per year and imports a crime wave that results in heartbreaking consequences for law-abiding Americans and legal immigrants.
Last night, Trump didn’t elaborate further on how many refugees he would allow into the country, how he would pay for such a thing, or any concerns about national security. Islamic terrorists are infamous for exploiting the chaos of refugee crises as a way to sneak into other countries.
Is this an idea, a policy Trump has thought completely through?
As we move closer to when the actual voting begins, especially on an issue as serious as allowing Syrian refuges into our country, Trump supporters might find themselves more confused and alarmed than charmed by The Donald’s willingness to wing it.
Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC
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