Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey, R, meets with The Patriot-News edit board August 15, 2012 in Mechanicsburg, Pa. MARK PYNES, The Patriot-News

(MARK PYNES, The Patriot-News)

U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey and other Republicans are dodging questions about Donald Trump's response to the Orlando shooting, according to NBC News.

Trump has renewed his call for a temporary ban on Muslim immigration after an American-born gunman killed 49 people and wounded 53 others in a gay nightclub.

The shooter, Omar Mateen, was born in New York and grew up in Florida. His parents are from Afghanistan.

Many critics say Trump's ban wouldn't have prevented the Orlando massacre because Mateen was radicalized and pledged allegiance to ISIS while living in the U.S.

Democrats, including Hillary Clinton, President Barack Obama and Sen. Harry Reid, have dared Republicans to defend Trump's rhetoric in the days following the shooting.

Many top Republicans are saying they won't comment.

When reporters caught up with Toomey he said he "didn't follow it closely."

The Lehigh Valley Republican was referring to Trump's speech Monday when he called for the ban.

Similarly, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he wouldn't be commenting on presidential candidates, NBC reported.

House Speaker Paul Ryan said he disagreed with the ban, but wouldn't comment further, NBC reported.

Perhaps this part of NBC's report sums it up best:

"Senator Tim Scott, R-S.C., paused a moment after being asked by NBC News whether he had any thoughts on Trump's response to Orlando.

"You know...hmm," he said.

Then without another word, he walked onto the Senate floor."

But some Republicans did speak up.

Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Arizona, told NBC that Trump's "ill-informed, ill-conceived ban on Muslims" was damaging the Republican Party.

Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tennessee, said, "It wasn't the kind of response that I would expect when 50 people have perished."

Others told NBC that Congress "would oppose Trump if he tried to implement a religious test for visitors to the United States by executive order," the network reported.

However, one senator defended Trump's words.

"It was a good speech," said Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Alabama, who has been Trump's top ally in the Senate, according to NBC. "He told the truth about the threat we are facing."