Donald Trump has prompted a growing tide of outrage across the world after saying Muslims should be banned from entering the United States.
The controversial Republican presidential candidate’s initial comments were followed by a speech and a series of interviews – as anger mounted among critics from almost every political standpoint.
Here’s how the most tumultuous 24 hours in the outspoken businessman’s campaign to date unfolded.
Donald Trump releases a statement on his website, calling for “a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on”.
"Without looking at the various polling data, it is obvious to anybody the hatred is beyond comprehension. Where this hatred comes from and why we will have to determine," Mr Trump said.
“Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in Jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life. If I win the election for President, we are going to Make America Great Again."
Hours later at a rally in South Carolina, Trump re-iterated his stance on Muslims, claiming “we have no choice” and calling for mosques in the US to be scrutinised, and claimed “you’re going to have more World Trade Centres”.
“We’re out of control” he told the crowd, “We have no idea who is coming into our country.
“We have no idea they love us or they hate us. We have no idea they want to bomb us.”
In a bid to make his point, Trump added: “I have friends who are Muslims, they’re great people. They know we have a problem.”
After the Philadelphia Daily News newspaper ran a front page showing Trump with his right hand raised with the headline “The New Furor,” ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos said to Trump in an interview: “You are increasingly being compared to Hitler, does that give you any pause at all?”
“No,” Trump replied, claiming that what he is doing is “no different” to Franklin D. Roosevelt during WWII who was “highly respected by all”. Pressed by Stephanopoulos on whether this meant he is praising the setting up of internment camps for Japanese people during the Second World War, Trump said: “No I’m not. No I’m not. No I’m not.”
Following his interview on ABC News, Trump appeared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” show, where he was cut off by host Joe Scarborough for continually interrupting the presenter. “You’ve got to let us ask questions,” Scarborough said, as Trump continued to talk over him. “You’re just talking.” When Trump refused to stop, Scarborough cut to a commercial break.
On CNN’s “New Day” morning show, Trump was repeatedly challenged by presenter Chris Cuomo. Trump told him: "I have common sense. I know what has to be done, and we don't want to have a situation like Paris. And we don't want to have another World Trade Center.”
The White House joined a host of prominent political figures from former Vice President Dick Cheney to Prime Minister David Cameron in condemning Trump’s stance.
White House press secretary Josh Earnest said: “What he said is disqualifying.
“And any Republican who’s too fearful of the Republican base to admit it has no business serving as president either.”
On Monday night, Cheney said a ban on a whole religion “goes against everything we stand for and believe in,” while Cameron said Trump’s comments were “divisive, unhelpful and quite simply wrong”.
