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Donald Trump's Proposed Muslim Ban Has Not Aged Well: A Timeline

It's been a winding road.
Antonia Blumberg
By 

Reporter, HuffPost

Less than a year ago, Donald Trump made the bold and controversial declaration that, if elected president, he would enact a ban on Muslims entering the United States. During Sunday night’s presidential debate, the Republican presidential nominee received a question on whether his proposal still stands ― and if not, why his position changed.

But Trump deflected.

“The Muslim ban is something that in some form has morphed into [an] extreme vetting from certain areas of the world,” he said.

He proceeded to attack President Obama and Hillary Clinton for supporting the country’s efforts to welcome refugees from war-torn areas of the world, including Syria. And he still has not said whether he thinks his initial proposal was a mistake, despite drawing criticism from many fellow Republicans.

Perhaps what Trump doesn’t want to admit is that enforcing a ban on an entire religion is unwise, dangerous and potentially unconstitutional. But rather than apologizing, he has tried to mold the proposal into something that appears more palatable on the surface.

But the fact remains ― the press statement that first announced the ban in December is still on his website, and Trump’s rhetoric is as Islamophobic as ever.

Let’s take a look at exactly how Trump’s proposed Muslim ban has morphed over the last year:

December 7, 2015
SCOTT OLSON
Donald Trump calls for a "complete shutdown" of Muslims entering the U.S. in a statement emailed to reporters. A press release announcing the proposal is simultaneously published to his website -- where it remains to this day.
January 4, 2016
YouTube
The Trump campaign releases a video ad called "Great Again TV Spot" that doubles down on his proposed Muslim ban, but now it includes the word "temporary."
March 30, 2016
MSNBC via Getty Images
During a Wisconsin town hall with MSNBC's Chris Matthews, Trump suggests the Muslim ban might have some "exceptions" -- including for his "rich" Muslim friends.
May 11, 2016
MANDEL NGAN via Getty Images
In a conversation with Fox News Radio’s Brian Kilmeade, Trump says his call to ban all Muslims from entering the United States was “just a suggestion.”

“We have a serious problem, and it’s a temporary ban — it hasn’t been called for yet, nobody’s done it, this is just a suggestion until we find out what’s going on,” Trump says.
June 13, 2016
CHRIS KEANE / REUTERS
Trump ramps up his proposal following the Orlando shooting and dares Congress to get in his way. But the wording of the ban has already shifted.

“I will suspend immigration from areas of the world where there is a proven history of terrorism against the United States, Europe or our allies, until we fully understand how to end these threats," Trump tells a small audience at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire.
June 25, 2016
Bloomberg via Getty Images
During a trip to the UK, Trump responds to a question about Muslims immigrating to the U.S. from Scotland and he responds, "It wouldn't bother me." Later that day he tells CNN’s Jeremy Diamond he only wanted to focus on “people coming from the terror states.”
July 21, 2016
Bill Clark via Getty Images
During his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, Trump says, “We must immediately suspend immigration from any nation that has been compromised by terrorism until such time as proven vetting mechanisms have been put in place."
July 24, 2016
The Washington Post via Getty Images
Some question whether his comments at the Republican National Convention indicated a rollback of his initial proposal to enact "a complete shutdown" of Muslims entering the U.S., but he says no. “In fact, you could say it’s an expansion," he tells NBC's Chuck Todd. He continues to say he would target nations "compromised by terrorism," and hints this could apply to countries like France and Germany.
August 8, 2016
DARREN HAUCK
Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence suggests Trump's "Muslim ban" might apply to Christians, Jews and people of other faiths. Speaking with conservative radio host Charlie Sykes, Pence echoes Trump's proposal to "temporarily suspend immigration from countries that have been compromised by terrorism." When Sykes asks whether the ban would apply to Christians, Jews and others from “compromised” countries, as well as Muslims, Pence suggests that would be the case.
August 15, 2016
Bloomberg via Getty Images
During a campaign event at Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio, Trump calls once again for "extreme vetting" of people trying to immigrate to or visit the United States, and he adds a proposal to use an ideological screening test to weed out those who don't "share our values and respect our people."
September 14, 2016
Jeff Swensen via Getty Images
Despite repeatedly calling for "extreme vetting" of Muslims trying to enter the country, Trump essentially admits during a campaign rally in Canton, Ohio that such vetting might not even work.

"We don't know where these people come from," he tells the crowd while discussing Syrian refugees. "We don't know if they have love or hate in their heart, and there's no way to tell."
October 6, 2016
CHIP SOMODEVILLA
In interviews with CNN’s “New Day” and MSNBC’s “Morning Joe," Pence responds to questions about his running mate's proposed Muslim ban saying “of course” Trump no longer wants to ban all Muslims from the country. CNN’s Chris Cuomo presses him on why he no longer condemns Trump’s plan to ban Muslims from the country, and Pence responds, "Well, because it’s not Donald Trump’s position now."
October 9, 2016
Bloomberg via Getty Images
In response to a question during the second presidential debate, Trump says his proposed Muslim ban has "morphed into [an] extreme vetting from certain areas of the world." When ABC News' Martha Raddatz presses him to say whether the ban is still his position -- and if not, why -- he repeats that his proposal is now for "extreme vetting."

Trump's proposal to ban an entire religion from entering the country was never a good idea. These twists and turns haven't improved upon it in the least. But don't expect an about face from the Donald anytime soon.

Editor’s note: Donald Trump regularlyincitespolitical violence and is a

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