Trump says Muslim ban ‘just a suggestion’

United States presidential candidate Donald Trump has backtracked from his controversial comments against Muslims.

The American tycoon shocked the world and distanced the Middle East with his proposal last year to ‘ban Muslims from entering the US’.

However, speaking to Fox News Radio, Trump claimed the ban was only a “suggestion.”

“We have a serious problem, it’s a temporary ban, it hasn’t been called for yet, nobody’s done it, this is just a suggestion until we find out what’s going on,” he said.

He was responding to a question on newly-elected London mayor Sadiq Khan, who called Trump’s views on Islam “ignorant.”

“We have radical Islamic terrorism all over the world, you can go to Paris, you can go to San Bernardino, all over the world, if they want to deny it, they can deny it, I don’t choose to deny it,” Trump added.

The Republican frontrunner has faced severe criticism from business leaders from across the Gulf region for his remarks.

Most recently, Dubai-based businessman Khalaf Al Habtoor labeled Trump a “loose cannon”.

Read more: Trump is a ‘loose cannon’ – senior Dubai businessman

In an interview with Bloomberg Markets Middle East, Al Habtoor said: “I call him a loose cannon, very dangerous to the world, very dangerous to the world.”

If Trump were elected US President, Arab-US relations would deteriorate, he added.

In the past, Al Habtoor also dubbed him “Islam’s biggest enemy”.

Read more: UAE businessman Al Habtoor labels Trump “Islam’s biggest enemy”

Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal has also called Trump a “disgrace” to his country.

Read more: Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed calls Trump “disgrace to the US”