'This is not a Muslim ban' Donald Trump defends executive order and attacks the media: Monday morning briefing

onald Trump's administration on Sunday tempered a key element of his move to ban entry of refugees and people from seven Muslim-majority countries in the face of mounting criticism even from some prominent Republicans and protests that drew tens of thousands in major American cities.

The US president signed the directive on Friday, but the policy appeared to be evolving on the fly. Democrats and a growing number of Republicans assailed the move and foreign leaders condemned it amid court challenges and tumult at US airports.

The president's critics have said his action violated US law and the US Constitution. In a fresh defense of the action on Sunday, Mr Trump said his directive was "not a Muslim ban, as the media is falsely reporting."

"This is not about religion - this is about terror and keeping our country safe," Mr Trump said.

John Kelly, the US homeland security secretary, said in a statement that people from the seven countries who hold so-called green cards as lawful permanent US residents would not be blocked from returning to the United States from overseas, as some had been following the directive.

In his statement, Mr Kelly said: "I hereby deem the entry of lawful permanent residents to be in the national interest."

Outside the White House, where some viewing stands from Mr Trump's January 20 inaugural parade still stood, several thousand protesters denounced him, carrying signs such as "Deport Trump" and "Fear is a terrible thing for a nation's soul." Protests also were staged in cities and airports in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Houston, Dallas and elsewhere.

The Republican president on Friday put a four-month hold on allowing refugees into the country, an indefinite ban on refugees from Syria and a three-month bar on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

Border and customs officials struggled to put Mr Trump's directive into practice. Confusion persisted over details of implementation, in particular for the people who hold green cards.

Senator Bob Corker, the Republican chairman of the US senate foreign relations committee and a Trump supporter, said



the president's order had been poorly implemented, particularly for green card holders.

"The administration should immediately make appropriate revisions, and it is my hope that following a thorough review and implementation of security enhancements that many of these programs will be improved and reinstated," Mr Corker said.

Mr Trump defended his action claiming the ban was not about religion but rather about keeping the US safe.

"This is not about religion - this is about terror and keeping our country safe. There are over 40 different countries worldwide that are majority Muslim that are not affected by this order."He added: "We will again be issuing visas to all countries once we are sure we have reviewed and implemented the most secure policies over the next 90 days."

The department on Saturday said Trump's action did apply to people with green cards who were returning to the United States from the seven nations. A White House official said later on Saturday that green card holders who had left the United States and wanted to return would have to visit a U.S. embassy or consulate to undergo additional screening.

Reince Priebus, the White House chief of staff,  went on the Sunday morning news programs to say those people would not be blocked.

"As far as green card holders moving forward, it doesn't affect them," Mr Priebus said on the NBC program "Meet the Press."

Mr Priebus added that these green card holders would be subjected to "more questioning" by US customs and border patrol agents when they try to re-enter the United States "until a better program is put in place over the next several months."

In an apparent indication that Mr Kelly's instructions were being implemented, some green card holders arriving in the United States said they had no trouble clearing customs.

Mahdi Tajsarvi, an engineer who lives in Virginia, said he and his wife, Arezoo Hosseini, both Iranian citizens with US green cards, were asked a few routine questions by authorities at Dulles International Airport outside Washington on Sunday evening and let through within a few minutes.