Fox News host Bill O'Reilly challenged Donald Trump on Wednesday, saying his call for a ban of all Muslims entering the country is insulting to an entire religion and can hurt the effort to get Arab countries involved in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS).
"You are hurting the United States' position against ISIS. We need the friendly Muslim nations. You can't insult them like that," O'Reilly said Wednesday on
"The O'Reilly Factor."
"We are not insulting," Trump responded. "This is about security. Not religion. We can't allow people to come into this country that have horrible things on their minds."
O'Reilly agreed, but told Trump he had spoken without considering the unintended consequences of his words.
"Bill, I have thought through everything, believe me," Trump said. "I have had calls from friends of mine who happen to be Muslims saying, 'You are the only one with the courage … to say it.' They all know what I'm saying is true."
O'Reilly noted that criticism isn't coming only from political rivals, but also from former Vice President Dick Cheney, who, O'Reilly said, doesn't "have a dog in the fight."
"They are all saying that this is an extremist point of view," O'Reilly said.
"Excuse me, extremist point of view?" Trump said. "I was against the war in Iraq in 2003, 2004. I said don't do it. … You talk about an extremist. Cheney started the war in Iraq, which should have never been started. Because as I said then and I say now, you will destabilize the Middle East."
As for criticism from Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, Trump said, "Hillary Clinton is a joke. I have been watching her for years. She was the worst secretary of state in history. She is the one that caused this problem between her and [President Barack] Obama and their policies."
Trump said he isn't concerned his position could hurt his company in overseas deals.
"I have built an amazing company. I'm a very rich person," Trump said. "I'm self-funding my own campaign, and, frankly, I'm putting up my own money. If I lose some businesses overseas, it doesn't have any impact on me whatsoever. What I'm doing right now, Bill, is far more important than any single business that I own."
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