David Cameron says Donald Trump 'deserves our respect'
Donald Trump is now the only Republican presidential candidate following John Kasich's decision to exit the race
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Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump “deserves our respect” for winning through to become the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, David Cameron has said.
However, the Prime Minister again declined to withdraw his previous condemnation of Mr Trump’s call for a ban on Muslims entering the US.
Mr Cameron blasted the proposal last year as “divisive, stupid and wrong” amid an international outcry.
On Thursday, however, the Prime Minister struck a more conciliatory tone during a Downing Street press conference with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe.
“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,” he said.
The Prime Minister’s spokesperson said on Wednesday that Mr Cameron stood by his previous criticisms of Mr Trump.
Addressing the issue again, Mr Cameron added: “What I said about Muslims, I wouldn’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.”
His spokesperson later said that he respected Mr Trump “politician to politician”.
An adviser to the Republican presumptive candidate, whose path to the nomination has been left clear after rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich both withdrew from the race, said earlier this week that Mr Cameron should apologise or retract his earlier criticisms.
George Papadopoulos said that an apology or retraction could be necessary if the Prime Minister was “serious about reaching out” to Mr Trump.
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