'We have no choice': Donald Trump touts his plan to stop Muslims from entering the US
The GOP front-runner's plan was fiercely criticized by even his fellow Republicans within hours of its release earlier in the day.
But Trump insisted it was "common sense."
"We have no choice. We have no choice. We have no choice," Trump said, speaking at a National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day rally in South Carolina.
He went on to tout a June survey of American Muslims that was criticized by The Washington Post as a "very shoddy poll."
"Most recently, a poll from Center for Security Policy released data showing 25% of those polled agreed that violence against Americans - these are people that are here, by the way," Trump said. "By the way, 1% would be unacceptable. One percent is unacceptable. Twenty-five percent of those polled agreed that violence against Americans, here in the United States, is justified as part of the global jihad."
He added, "They want to change your religion. I don't think so. I don't think so. Not going to happen."
Trump said his hard-line proposal was for a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States," until "our country's representatives can figure out what the hell is going on."
Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski told The Associated Press that the proposal would apply to "everybody," including both Muslim tourists and those seeking immigration visas. Trump issued the plan in the wake of last week's mass shooting in San Bernardino, California, where the suspects allegedly "self-radicalized."
Speaking at his Monday rally, Trump warned that without an aggressive response to terrorism, there would be more incidents like the September 11, 2001, World Trade Center attacks.
"Where the hatred comes from and why, we'll have to determine," Trump said of Muslims. "We have to figure it out. We can't live like this. It's going to get worse and worse. You're going to have more World Trade Centers. It's going to get worse and worse folks. We can be politically correct and we can be stupid, but it's going to get worse and worse."
He continued: "They have no respect for human life. So we have to do something."