House Speaker Paul Ryan drove another wedge between himself and Donald Trump on Tuesday with a stinging rebuke of his party's presumptive presidential nominee's proposed pause on non-citizen Muslim immigration – saying 'Muslims are our partners' in the war on terror.

'I do not think a Muslim ban is in our country's interest,' Ryan said during a press conference at the Republican National Committee's Capitol Hill headquarters.

'I do not think it is reflective of our principles – not just as a party, but as a country,' he said. 'And I think the smarter way to go in all respects is to have a security test, not a religious test.'

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'MUSLIMS ARE OUR PARTNERS': Paul Ryan criticized Donald Trump on Tuesday for equating Islam with terrorism, saying most who practice that faith are moderate and peaceful

WE NEED A TIME-OUT: Trump has said the U.S. is admitting too many Muslim refugees, too fast, from too many Muslim nations and pays the price in jihadi terror attacks

Ryan's comments came just a day after Trump seemed to walk back his December 2015 notion of a religious test for entry into the U.S. until homeland security officials can get a handle on the potential for terrorist infiltration.

Instead he shifted to the idea of nation-specific immigration limits tied to terrorism incidents.

'The immigration laws of the United States give the president powers to suspend entry into the country of any class of persons,' Trump said during a speech in Manchester, New Hampshire, saying such judgments are 'to be determined by the president for the interests of the United States. And it’s as he or she deems appropriate.'

'I will use this power to protect the American people,' he continued. 'When I’m elected I will suspend immigration from areas of the world where there’s a proven history of terrorism against the United States, Europe or our allies until we fully understand how to end these threats.'

Ryan's tone emphasized the cooperation the U.S. receives from more moderate Muslim governments around the world.

'This is a war with radical Islam. It is not a war with Islam,' the speaker 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 and Trump have clashed repeatedly this year – most recently over the White House hopeful's criticism of a Hispanic judge who is hearing a lawsuit case against him.

Trump will call on Ryan and the rest of the House GOPers next month for a July 7 meeting,House Republican conference chairman Cathy McMorris Rodgers said Tuesday morning.