Republican frontrunner Donald Trump has sought to distance himself from comments in which he said that as president he would “absolutely” implement a tracking system that would require Muslims in the US to register with a federal database.

On Friday, Trump said on Twitter that he “didn’t suggest a database – a reporter did” after he had expressed full support for a system that tracks Muslims in the United States during a conversation with that reporter on Thursday.

I didn't suggest a database-a reporter did. We must defeat Islamic terrorism & have surveillance, including a watch list, to protect America — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 20, 2015

Trump’s comments were the latest and perhaps the most extreme contribution to what is an already sharply charged debate over whether the US should accept Muslim refugees from Syria and Iraq in the wake of the Paris attacks last Friday.

On the campaign trail, Republican presidential candidates have issued calls for a prioritization of Christian refugees over Muslim ones and, in Ben Carson’s case, defended a closed-border policy with an analogy about rabid dogs.



Asked by NBC on Thursday if there should be a database system “that tracks the Muslims here in this country”, Trump told the network in Newton, Iowa, in between campaign town halls: “There should be a lot of systems, beyond database, we should have a lot of systems, and today you can do it. But right now we have to have a border, we have to have strength, we have to have a wall.”

Asked if that was something he would implement as president, Trump replied: “I would certainly implement that. Absolutely.”

In the ensuing conversation, Trump seemed to conflate the refugee situation with illegal immigration into the US, at times appearing not to distinguish between the two.

The NBC journalist asked Trump if Muslims would be legally obligated to sign into the databases. He replied: “They have to be – They have to be.”

Pressed to explain how he would carry out such a proposal, and if there would be a sign-up at mosques, Trump said: “Different places. You sign them up at different places. But it’s all about management.”

During a later interview, the reporter ask how the practice of registering Muslims would be different from registering Jews in Nazi Germany. Trump said: “You tell me,” and then stopped responding.

Earlier on Thursday he told Yahoo: “Certain things will be done that we never thought would happen in this country in terms of information and learning about the enemy.”

When asked in that interview if he would consider registering Muslims in a database or giving them a special form of identification, Trump said: “We’re going to have to – we’re going to have to look at a lot of things very closely. We’re going to have to look at the mosques. We’re going to have to look very, very carefully.”

Trump’s explosive comments were met with swift condemnation by Democrats – as well as by members of his own party.

Trump’s rival, former Florida governor Jeb Bush called the comments “just wrong”.

“You talk about internment, you talk about closing mosques, you talk about registering people,” Bush said on CNBC on Friday morning. “That’s just wrong. I don’t care about campaigns. It’s not a question of toughness. It’s to manipulate people’s angst and their fears. That’s not strength, that’s weakness.”

Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton responded on Friday morning, calling it “shocking rhetoric”.



This is shocking rhetoric. It should be denounced by all seeking to lead this country. -H https://t.co/qs2TJI5spu — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) November 20, 2015

Expressing a similar sentiment, Clinton’s democratic rival, Vermont senator Bernie Sanders said in a statement: “This is an outrageous and bigoted statement. Mr Trump should be ashamed of himself. We will not destroy Isis by undermining the constitution and our religious freedoms.”

Transcript of Trump’s NBC interview

Interviewer: Should there be a database system that tracks the Muslims here in this country?

Trump: There should be a lot of systems, beyond database, we should have a lot of systems, and today you can do it. But right now we have to have a border, we have to have strength, we have to have a wall, and we cannot let what’s happening to this country happen [inaudible].

Interviewer: But that’s something your White House would like to implement?

Trump: Oh, I would certainly implement that. Absolutely.

Interviewer: What do you think the effect of that would be? How would that work?

Trump: It would stop people from coming in illegally. We have to stop people from coming into our country illegally.

Interviewer: Muslims specifically, how do you actually get them registered into a database?

Trump: It would be just good management. What you have to do is good management procedures. And we can do that. [To someone else:] That’s nice.

Interviewer: And do you go to mosques and sign these people up?

Trump: Different places. You sign them up at different places. But it’s all about management. Our country has no management. [To someone else:] Whose is that?

Interviewer: Would they have to legally be in this database? Would it be their obligation?

Trump: They have to be – They have to be – Let me just tell you, the key is people can come to the country, but they have to come in legally.



***

Interviewer: Mr Trump, why would Muslim databases not be the same thing as requiring Jews to register in Nazi Germany? What would be the difference? Is there a difference between the two?

Trump: Who are you with?

Interviewer: I’m with NBC News. Is there a difference between requiring Muslims to register and Jews in Nazi Germany?

Trump: You tell me. You tell me.



Interviewer: Do you believe …?

Trump: Why don’t you tell me?

Interviewer: Do you believe there is?

Trump: You tell me.