Frontrunner for the Republican nomination for the US Presidency, Donald Trump, has received backing from an unlikely source over US immigration rhetoric banning Muslims from entering the country. Louis Farrakhan, leader of the religious group Nation of Islam said he sympathizes with Trump's proposal to stop Muslims arriving in the US.
It seems that Trump attracts support from extremist groups. Commander George Lincoln Rockwell in 1961 the head of the American Nazi Party at that time referred to the National of Islam at that time as being "Black Nazis". Commander Rockwell also said "I am fully in concert with their program and I have the highest respect for Mr. Elijah Muhammad (former leader of the Nation of Islam)." Trump has also been endorsed by David Duke a white supremacist and former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. One American neo-Nazi website even refers to Trump as being "The Glorious Leader".
Farrakhan's comments came during an interview with conspiracy theorist and radio show host, Alex Jones. The interview, with Mr Farrakhan lasted about ninety minutes. During the interview Mr Farrakhan suggested that keeping Muslims out of the US or at least vetting them is 'wise' due to the anti-American hatred amongst Muslims that US foreign policy has created in the Middle-East.
Farrakhan said: "When Mr Trump said, 'we can't allow these Muslim refugees into America,' a lot of people were upset with him, but I know, the hatred for America in the Muslim World is building."
"Just as we told Mr Bush – the US President prior to Barack Obama - no Muslim leader could call for jihad and have it stick. No Muslim leader had the power to unite the whole Muslim World. I said, 'But America's policies will unite those people against the West and it is happening."
Farrakhan says Trump right to vet and restrict Muslim immigration
Farrakhan went on to add that he thought Mr Trump was prudent to vet anyone arriving in the US from 'that region of the world [referring to the Middle-East].' According to him anti-US hatred is widespread in some Countries. Farrakhan says that America feels some responsibility for causing the problems that led to the Muslim refugee crisis and so lets them in. However, he went onto say that this will ultimately lead to their own destruction if they don't "vet" them.
However, despite sympathizing with Trump's anti-Muslim US immigration rhetoric, Farrakhan has concerns that as President he could be influenced by neo-conservatives and make attempts to seize Iraqi oil. Farrakhan made a point of repeating something that is frequently said by Donald Trump that 'he cannot be bought.'
Farrakhan likens other Politicians to prostitutes
During the interview, Farrakhan said: "I looked at the many Republicans and Democrats that are trying to win the nomination of their party. It says to me, I don't want to be vulgar, but it's like in any major city, you see women undressed, showing their wares for a John to buy them."
He used this analogy to compare Trump to politicians who don't have money, but have ideas and flaunt themselves before rich and powerful men in order to generate money for those ideas that the rich agree with. However, according to Farrakhan, the moment a person assumes a position of power, it soon becomes apparent the rich have an agenda for them.
Farrakhan said: "This is what differentiates Trump from other politicians because he doesn't want money from the rich. I admire him in that respect because when a politician doesn't need money from the rich, they're free to actually do some good for the masses and that's a credible thing because I think we're in the midst of the darkest hour in US history. If we don't act in the right way now, in partnership with the right people and at the right time, the America that we know will never become great again."
It should also be said that Farrakhan has also criticised Trump in the past. Towards the end of last year Mr Farrakhan said "If Donald Trump becomes president, he will take America into the abyss of hell."
However, even though Trump doesn't need money from the rich because he's a billionaire himself he still needs votes. Trump may end up saying and doing a number of things not because he believes in what he is doing but simply to gain votes and support. Surely, in his own way Trump has also been corrupted by the system.
