W.H.: Trump’s Rhetoric ‘Is Harmful to the Country and Is Contrary to Our Values’

AVILA: “Back on Trump. Jeh Johnson, the Homeland security secretary said today that Trump's rhetoric is harmful to America’s national security. Does the White House believed that come and why?"
EARNEST: “Absolutely of the president described his at some length in his speech on Sunday night. The fact is ISIL is trying to advance the narrative that suggests that they represent the religion of Islam, waging a war against the United States and the West. That narrative is false, it is a fantasy. The fact is that millions of Muslims are actually on the side of the United States and our international coalition and try to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL. There are Muslim-Americans serving in our armed forces right now putting their lives on the line for our national security. And to suggest otherwise only advances the narrative of ISIL.”
AVILA: “Does his rhetoric, you fear, that his rhetoric actually will turn some Muslims in this country against this country because of the way that he is talking about Muslims, who normally would not have been involved in perhaps the radicalism that some are. Will this in fact backfire and hurt the country in this way?"
EARNEST: “We certainly do believe this is harmful to the country and it is contrary to our values. Let me just say that as offensive and toxic as Mr. Trumps rhetoric is, it does not condone or justify any act of violence. But the concern that we have -- and again this is something the president said in a speech on Sunday night -- is that the United States government, our national security officials are going to be most effective if they’re able to work in partnership with leaders of the Muslim-American community to prevent those who are most vulnerable to this radical ISIL ideology from being insided and aspired to carry out an act of violence. And rhetoric like the offensive bluster that we hear from Mr. Trump makes it much harder to build and solidify that relationship.”