Barack Obama speaks at the G-20 Summit in Antalya, Turkey. | Getty Obama torches GOP on Syrian refugees: 'Now they are scared of 3-year-old orphans'

President Barack Obama is taking an even harsher tone against governors and lawmakers who want to stop the U.S. resettlement of Syrian refugees, blasting them for being "scared of widows and orphans" while playing into the hands of the Islamic State terrorist group.

"We are not well served when, in response to a terrorist attack, we descend into fear and panic. We don't make good decisions if it's based on hysteria or an exaggeration of risks," Obama said while visiting the Philippines for an economic summit. "I cannot think of a more potent recruitment tool for ISIL than some of the rhetoric that's been coming out of here during the course of this debate."


"ISIL seeks to exploit the idea that there is a war between Islam and the West," he continued. "And when you start seeing individuals in positions of responsibility suggesting that Christians are more worthy of protection than Muslims are in a war-torn land, that feeds the ISIL narrative. It's counterproductive, and it needs to stop."

In the wake of the deadly attacks in Paris, more than half of U.S. governors, most of them Republican, have said they don't want refugees resettled in their states. House Republican leaders also are looking at legislation designed to stop the Obama administration from resettling up to 10,000 Syrian refugees next year. Several GOP presidential contenders have also slammed the idea of letting in Syrians, while some have suggested letting in only those who are Christian.

The White House on Tuesday began pushing back against the GOP-led narrative, holdings calls with governors and reporters as well as briefing lawmakers about the stringent security screening involved before refugees are admitted to the United States. A White House readout of a conference call with governors said it lasted 90 minutes and included 34 governors representing both parties.

"Several governors expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to better understand the process and have their issues addressed directly by representatives of the agencies responsible for the refugee and screening programs," according to the White House statement. "Others encouraged further communication to ensure that governors are able to better respond to questions from the public about the refugee screening and resettlement process."

Several Democratic senators, including likely incoming Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, also expressed qualms about accepting the refugees ahead of a Wednesday briefing by administration officials. "We’re waiting for the briefing tomorrow. A pause may be necessary," Schumer told reporters Tuesday. "We're going to look at it."

Obama has repeatedly said ensuring the safety of U.S. citizens remains a top priority when it comes to vetting those who enter the country. But he appears unusually frustrated by the fury over refugees who face terror and destruction in Syria. Earlier this week he expressed anger over the idea of admitting refugees based on religion — as proposed by GOP presidential hopefuls Jeb Bush and Ted Cruz, among others — and he reiterated that sentiment in his latest comments in Manila, where it was Wednesday morning.

"When individuals say we should have a religious test and that only Christians, proven Christians, should be admitted, that's offensive," he said.

The president also noted that many of the same people who have suggested stopping refugees from coming to the United States also claim they themselves are tough enough to stare down Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Apparently they're scared of widows and orphans coming into the United States of America as part of our tradition of compassion," Obama said. "At first they were worried about the press being too tough on them in during debates. Now they're worried about 3-year-old orphans. That doesn't sound very tough to me."

The president's comments appear to be a reference to remarks by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt on Monday: “I don’t think orphans under 5 are being, you know, should be admitted into the United States at this point. But you know, they have no family here. How are we going to care for these folks?”