Muhammad Ali weighs in to attack The Donald

'I'm doing good for the Muslims,' Trump told CNN's Don Lemon, adding that many of his Islamic friends have said his idea to ban Muslims is 'brilliant.'

He also said of the criticism he is receiving over his perceived Islamophobia; 'I am the least racist person you have ever met.'  

Earlier in the day, boxing legend Muhammad Ali criticized the Republican presidential front-runner proposal and calling on Muslims 'to stand up to those who use Islam to advance their own personal agenda'.

Ali, one of the most famous Muslims in the world, issued a statement saying, 'True Muslims know that the ruthless violence of so called Islamic Jihadists goes against the very tenets of our religion.'

He added: 'I believe that our political leaders should use their position to bring understanding about the religion of Islam and clarify that these misguided murderers have perverted people's views on what Islam really is.'

Ali's statement Wednesday, first reported by NBC News, did not identify Trump by name but was directed at 'presidential candidates proposing to ban Muslim immigration to the United States'. 

'They have alienated many from learning about Islam,' Ali wrote. 

Trump meanwhile appeared on CNN to talk about his ban, rumors he is considering a third party run and how he feels about some now comparing him to Hitler.

'Many Muslim friends of mine are in agreement with me. They say, "Donald, you brought something up to the fore that is so brilliant and so fantastic,"' Trump told Don Lemon.

He went on to say that 'one of the most important people in Middle East' thanked him for his plan.

As for whether or not Trump feared how this might impact his own business dealings in the Middle East, he said; 'What I am doing right now is far more important than any business in the Middle East.'

When asked about the backlash and criticism he has been receiving from politicians and pundits, Trump responded by saying; 'The group that is not criticizing me is the public. The public agrees with what I said. They saw those two animals go out last week and shoot people.'

The 'animals' he is referring to are San Bernardino shooters Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik.

Lemon then pointed out that these two were already in the country to which Trump then blamed Malik, claiming; 'She came in. She came in and probably radicalized him. She came in.

'She went to a school. people that knew her said she very radical. And she came in. It's a problem.' 

Trump also reiterated later in the interview his stance against bringing in Syrian refugees because it could be like 'the ultimate Trojan horse.' 

As for the Hitler comparisons coming his way, Trump said; 'If that were true, it would bother me tremendously. But of course if you were a racist you probably wouldn't care. 

'But if things are true, it would bother me. But if it's so false, and honestly I don't hear it often.'

When Lemon later pressed Trump about whether or not he was racist, Trump replied; 'I am the least racist person that you have ever met.' 

Trump explained his reasons for all this by saying; 'We can't be politically correct stupid people. We have a president, I think he's a stupid person. 

'There's no way a normal president can make the speech he made the other night.'

This was in reference to Obama's speech on Sunday about the threat of terrorism from the Oval Office which Trump said was lacking and should have been more assertive and aggressive in stating how the United states would defeat ISIS.

He then addressed Obama's military maneuvers. 

'When he sends 50 troops into harms way he shouldn't announce it,' said Trump of Obama.

'Because then they have targets on their back. They have targets on their heart.' 

Trump then said he would share little to nothing if he were elected to keep an element of surprise.

'I am a person who happens to be very smart and I happen to have a certain street sense and I know where things are going,' said Trump.

As an example he pointed out how in 200 he said the United States needed to take down Osama bin Laden a year before the 9/11 attacks.

(dailymail.co.uk)