Washington: US President Donald Trump has said he would back legislation barring the application of Sharia law in the United States, maintaining that the country should operate under a single legal system.
In an interview with conservative commentator Glenn Beck, Trump was asked whether he would pursue or sign a proposed “no Sharia law act for America”.
“I would absolutely say that it’s not this country; it’s no Sharia law,” Trump said.
Trump alleged that Sharia law was being followed in certain parts of the US, although he did not name any location or offer evidence to substantiate the claim.
He also referred to London and Paris, arguing that Islamic religious law had become an alternative way of life in parts of Europe.
“You go to London, you go to Paris, it’s almost like a second way of life. It’s ridiculous,” Trump said.
The President said he viewed the issue as one of practical governance rather than ideology. He told Beck that he would support measures to prevent the operation of any parallel legal system in the country.
“Good politics is all about common sense anyway,” Trump said. “I would absolutely prohibit the Sharia law thing.”
Trump did not clarify whether he intended to seek congressional legislation, use executive powers or endorse a specific bill already under consideration. He said authorities should intervene wherever they find what he described as the application of Sharia law.
“You have one system. We have a great system,” he said, while acknowledging that it could sometimes be frustrating.
During the interview, Beck also raised concerns over affordability and asked how Republicans could address the anxieties of younger Americans over rising living costs.
Trump blamed the Democrats for high prices, claiming his administration had inherited an economy marked by severe inflation. He said prices of fuel, food items and eggs had declined since he took office, adding that beef prices were also beginning to ease.
“I inherited high prices, and we’ve really gotten them down,” Trump said.
(Inputs from IANS)