Trump campaign removes Muslim ban statement from website

Donald Trump's campaign has removed a statement from its website calling for a ban on Muslims entering the United States.

The news release is no longer available on his website, and the link first provided by Trump on his Twitter page now directs to a generic call for donations.

The original statement was released after Trump said on 7 December 2015: "Donald J Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on."

"According to Pew Research, among others, there is great hatred towards Americans by large segments of the Muslim population.

"Without looking at the various polling data, it is obvious to anybody the hatred is beyond comprehension. Where this hatred comes from and why we will have to determine," the statement continued.

"Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in Jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life."

According to online caches, the page still displayed the message on the election night of 8 November, but the redirect was added before it was announced that he had won.

Trump's statement provoked widespread anger and claims of racism and xenophobia.