Article content

Throughout Donald Trump’s campaign and now into the first weeks of his presidency, critics suggested that he cool his incendiary rhetoric, that his words matter.

His defenders responded that, as Corey Lewandowski said, he was being taken too “literally.” Some, like Vice President Mike Pence, wrote it off to his “colorful style.” Trump himself recently explained that his rhetoric about Muslims is popular, winning him “standing ovations.”

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Attorneys-general weaponize Trump’s incendiary anti-Muslim election rhetoric against him in court Back to video

No one apparently gave him anything like a Miranda warning: Anything he says can and will be used against him in a court of law.

And that’s exactly what’s happening now in the epic court battle over his travel ban, currently blocked by a temporary order set for argument Tuesday before a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.

The states of Washington and Minnesota, which sued to block it, are citing Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric as evidence that the government’s claims – it’s not a ban and not aimed at Muslims – are shams.