Trump Doubles Down on Muslim Remarks Despite Backlash

A day after Donald Trump called for a ban on all Muslims entering the United States, many say his remarks were out of line. But the Republican frontrunner isn't backing down, even as anxiety over radical Islamic threats continues to grow.

In fact, Trump is doubling down on his comments, tweeting early Wednesday, "Wow, what a day. So many foolish people that refuse to acknowledge the tremendous danger and uncertainty of certain people coming to U.S."
 
But his remarks quickly drew widespread criticism from members of his own party.
 
"Normally, I do not comment on what is going on in the presidential election. I will take an exception today," House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said. "This is not conservatism, what was proposed yesterday is not what this party stands for and more importantly is not what this country stands for."

Presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said, "I do not agree with his proposal."
 
Rep. David Jolly, R-Fla., said Trump should withdraw from the race.
 
"It is time my side of the aisle has one less candidate in the race for the White House. It is time for Donald Trump to withdraw from the race," Jolly said.
 
Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton, who faces her own challenges for refusing to use the phrase "radical Islam," called it "both a shameless and dangerous idea."
 
White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Trump disqualified himself from serving as president.

"The Trump campaign for months now has had a dust bin of history-like quality to it. What Donald Trump said yesterday disqualifies him from serving as president," Earnest said.
 
Immigration attorney Michael Wildes said the concept could not "actualize in law."
 
"So what he's expressing is actually a thought -- something that could not actualize in law," Wildes said. "And if it was actualized in Congress, the Supreme Court would undo it."
 
Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, reacted predictably.
 
"Our country was founded on religious freedom," Awad said. "And Donald Trump is just trashing the Constitution."

Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, called on Christians to speak out against Trump's comments.

"Anyone who cares an iota about religious liberty should denounce this reckless, demagogic rhetoric," Moore said.
 
But Trump isn't backing down -- and many voters are likely to support him.
 
All this is happening in the terror aftermath of the Paris and San Bernardino attacks.

The FBI revealed Wedesday that Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik, the husband and wife terrorists in the California massacre, were radicalized as early as the end of 2013 - before they started dating.

Testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee, FBI Director James Comey said the couple, who he described as "homegrown violent extremists," was inspired by foreign terror groups.  

Two weeks before the attack the FBI says Farook took out more than $28,000 in a consolidation loan -- part of which they suspect was used to finance the massacre that killed 14 and injured at least 21 others.
 
After that massacre, the threat from radical Islamic terrorism has become a key issue in the 2016 election and how to deal with radical Islam has become an issue no candidate can avoid.