Trump deflects questions on database for Muslims

NEWTON - Speaking in an Iowa city that still is feeling the effects of a manufacturing plant's closure eight years ago, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said he's going to 'get the jobs.”

Trump participated in a television interview and then held a rally with roughly 250 people Thursday at Des Moines Area Community College's campus in Newton, which was rocked in 2007 with the closure of a Maytag appliance plant.

In the interview with WHO-TV, Trump said his policies will help create jobs, reiterated his hard-line stance on immigration, and pledged his support for the Iowa caucuses and subsidies for wind energy and ethanol.

After the rally, Trump deflected questions from a reporter about comments he made earlier in the day to multiple media outlets that he would consider creating a form of identification for Muslim people in the United States and storing their information in a database.

That drew sharp rebuke from many, including some Republicans, who said Trump's comments violate freedom of religion.

'Now is the time to embrace our collective humanity, not to divide us. Iowa prides itself on being a welcoming place for all individuals, no matter their race or creed,” state Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad of Des Moines, a Muslim and chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party's black caucus, said in a statement. 'Donald Trump's openness to government targeting of Americans based on their religion is hateful, disgusting and runs counter to the values of Iowans and our great country. ... I call on Trump's fellow Republican candidates to condemn these heinous remarks.”

Trump's comments appeared to have no negative impact on any of his supporters at Thursday's events in Newton.

Trump said the United States should not accept refugees fleeing Islamic State militants in Syria, citing safety concerns in light of the recent terrorist attacks in Paris.

'I feel totally bad for them. But at the same time, we don't know who they are. We don't know where they came from. And I also feel bad for the people in this country,” Trump said, drawing applause.

Trump said his views on the Syrian refugees match his overall stance on immigration.

That stance is one of the things that Bruce Koester likes most about Trump.

'I really feel that he's genuine. There's no script about his speech. He just says what's coming out of his heart,” said Koester, of Newton. Koester said he is undecided about which Republican candidate he will support, but after Thursday's event, he's leaning toward Trump.

Trump gave a muddled response when asked by Rob Denson, president of Des Moines Area Community College, what he would do as president to help businesses find the skilled workers they need.

Trump responded by saying he would give people 'spirit” and 'hope.” that he said is lacking today.

'One of the things I see in this country is they've lost their spirit. They've lost their hope,” Trump said. 'We have to get people their spirit back. We have to give people their hope.”

After the rally, the Trump campaign bought pizzas for the hundreds of people who had stuck around.