Paul Nehlen, Paul Ryan’s Challenger: Deport All Muslims

The Republican businessman hoping to take down House Speaker Paul Ryan thinks the United States should consider deporting all Muslims.

Speaking this week with AM 560’s Morning Answer, congressional hopeful Paul Nehlen excoriated Ryan for failing to sufficiently support Donald Trump in his ongoing feud with Khizr and Ghazala Kahn, the Muslim-American parents of a U.S. Army Captain killed in Iraq in 2004, who lambasted the GOP candidate during a speech at last week’s Democratic National Convention.

Trump is correct to take umbrage with the Khans, Nehlen said, because the larger question is about Muslim-Americans’ loyalty in general.

“[The Khans] came here in the ’70s from Pakistan, right? [Humayun Khan] died before the Fort Hood shootings, the Boston Marathon bombings, the Chattanooga killings, San Bernardino Christmas party mass shooting and the Orlando nightclub," Nehlen explained to hosts Dan Proft and Amy Jacobson.

“So circumstances have clearly, dramatically changed since Capt. Khan’s death and hey, those are Gold Star parents. Nobody’s saying they aren’t Gold Star parents; they lost their kid. But let’s be clear: Muslim-Americans have been fighting on both sides of the war.”

Asked whether he’d fight radical Islam by issuing—as Newt Gingrich previously suggested—a test of loyalty for Muslim-Americans to swear off Sharia law, Nehlen answered in the affirmative. “I believe the break point is Sharia,” he said. “If the Muslim is Sharia-compliant, that is in direct conflict with the U.S. Constitution.”

“Islam is the only major religion that encourages lying,” he replied, pointing to a verse of the Quran which, he claimed, encourages Muslims to “lie to the infidel” to further jihadist efforts. “If they lie, how do you vet something like that?”

“Then how do you implement the test that you want to implement?” Proft asked.

“Well, then, the question is why do we have Muslims in the country?” Nehlen said, visibly and audibly shocking the two co-hosts.

“Are you suggesting that we deport all of the Muslims in this country?” Proft followed up.

“I’m suggesting we have a discussion about it, that’s for sure,” Nehlen answered, to a stunned pause from the hosts.

With his fiery anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant rhetoric, Nehlen has quickly become a favorite among right-wing media personalities who have thrown their lot behind Trump’s like-minded candidacy. Radio hosts and commentators like Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, Sarah Palin, and Michelle Malkin have all backed his long-shot run. Trump himself has refused to back Ryan (despite the speaker’s own endorsement of the presidential nominee), and has instead heaped praise upon Nehlen.

Asked whether he sees any constitutional issues with the mass deportation of Muslim-Americans, Nehlen was defiant: “If someone supports Sharia, that is doing something wrong.”