Trump Won't Rebuke Questioner Who Wants to Ban Muslims from TSA: "We Are Looking at That"

Impact

Donald Trump on Thursday failed to dismiss a question from an audience member at a New Hampshire town hall who asked whether he would consider replacing Border Patrol and TSA agents who wear "hibijabis" with veterans.

"Why aren't we putting our military retirees on that border or in TSA? Get rid of all these hibijabis they wear at TSA," a woman asked Trump, pointing to her head and seemingly referring to hijabs — religious headscarves worn by Muslim women. "I've seen them myself, we need the veterans back in there to take it. They fought for this country."

Trump didn't admonish the woman, instead saying, "You know, we are looking at that," before moving on.

Trump could have rebuked the woman, following the example of a previous Republican standard-bearer.

In 2008, Sen. John McCain smacked down two audience members at an event he held in October — shortly before Election Day.

When one audience member said he was scared of now-President Barack Obama, McCain defended Obama's character, though it received boos from the crowd.

"First of all, I want to be president of the United States, and obviously I don't want Sen. Obama to be, but I have to tell you, I have to tell you he is a decent person and a person that you do not have to be scared as president of the United States," McCain said at the time.

And when a woman said she was scared Obama was an "Arab," McCain shook his head and politely-but-firmly stopped her, took back his microphone and told her she was wrong.

"No ma'am, he's a decent family man citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues," McCain said.

Trump failing to rebuke the audience member's comments on Muslims wasn't the only head-scratching moment of Thursday's event in New Hampshire.

When discussing trade with Mexico, he pointed to a plane flying overhead and said, seemingly in jest, "That could be a Mexican plane up there. They're getting ready to attack."

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