Harry Reid said Donald Trump "would certainly fail" if the GOP nominee took the test immigrants have to pass to become a U.S. citizen. | AP Photo Reid: Trump is 'a spoiled, unpatriotic drain on society'

Outgoing Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid on Monday challenged Donald Trump to take a naturalization test that the Republican presidential nominee “would almost certainly fail.”

Reid’s comments come ahead of a speech Trump will give Monday afternoon in Youngstown, Ohio, on combating terrorism and defeating the Islamic State. Trump is expected to propose screening immigrants with an ideological questionnaire to determine whether potential immigrants support American values.


“Since Donald Trump wants to impose new tests on immigrants, he should take the one test every immigrant has to pass to become a United States citizen,” the Nevada Democrat said in a statement. “He would almost certainly fail, given his general ignorance and weak grasp of basic facts about American history, principles and functioning of our government. The fact is, Donald Trump is nothing more than a spoiled, unpatriotic drain on society who has earned nothing and helped no one.”

Reid said attending dozens of naturalization ceremonies was his most rewarding experience in his three-plus decades representing Nevada.

“These are men, women and children who worked hard to get here, who worked hard to become citizens and who are now working hard as productive members of our society,” Reid said. “Unlike immigrants, Donald Trump represents none of the qualities that make America great. Immigrants work hard to get here and become Americans, while Trump inherited everything from his father and works hardest at Tweeting insults and ripping off hard-working people with two-bit scams.”

Reid launched into a further compare-and-contrast of immigrants and Trump, insisting that while immigrants renounce their loyalty to foreign interests and vow to defend America against foreign and domestic enemies, Trump “plays footsie” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, invites Russia to hack Hillary Clinton’s emails, insults Gold Star parents and war heroes, and lies about charitable donations.

“Indeed, the naturalization test is just one part of the process immigrants undergo to become citizens, but Trump would almost certainly fail that test,” Reid said. “Immigrants make America great. Trump makes America small, petty and mean.”