David Cameron won't retract criticism of Donald Trump's comments on Muslims

LONDON -- David Cameron said he "respects" Donald Trump for making it through the U.S. primaries, but the prime minister won't retract criticism of Trump's comments he made about Muslims.

The prime minister refused to withdraw his harsh criticism of Trump when the property tycoon proposed a ban on Muslims getting into the U.S. in early December, after the San Bernardino shooting in California.

At the time, Cameron called Trump's controversial comments "stupid, divisive and wrong."

Speaking at a joint press conference alongside his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, the prime minister said: 

“Knowing the gruelling nature of the primaries, what you have to go through to go on and represent your party in a general election – anyone who makes it through that deserves our respect."

But he added: "What I said about Muslims, I won't change that view. I’m very clear that the policy idea that was put forward was wrong, it is wrong, and it will remain wrong.”

Cameron's spokeswoman told the Guardian the prime minister respected Trump "politician to politician." 

Trump is expected to visit the UK this summer after his Republican nomination is officially confirmed at the party convention in July.

Cameron, who met Mitt Romney, the Republicans' last candidate, in 2012, has signalled he would be willing to meet the Trump. 

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