--- title: Republicans Hit Back at Barack Obama Over Refugee Criticism description: The GOP candidates are now striking back at Obama for his criticism of their positions on Syrian refugees. canonical: https://time.com/4118395/barack-obama-republicans-isis-refugees/ author: Tessa Berenson article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-11-18T17:02:30.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:46:53.501Z article:section: Politics og:title: Republicans Hit Back at Barack Obama Over Refugee Criticism og:description: "Come back and insult me to my face." og:url: https://time.com/4118395/barack-obama-republicans-isis-refugees/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbdd0605ba7790a6e/6988719d524fc02005df5859/ap_303117003273.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3478 og:image:height: 1956 og:image:alt: Barack Obama og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Republicans Hit Back at Barack Obama Over Refugee Criticism twitter:description: "Come back and insult me to my face." twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbdd0605ba7790a6e/6988719d524fc02005df5859/ap_303117003273.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Republicans Hit Back at President Obama Over Refugee Criticism > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=43b34b89-f67d-4a79-8823-ec3169dd7826&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | Subscribers | Open rate | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | 540,000 | 45.6% | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | 430,000 | 50.7% | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Daily | 240,000 | 54.1% | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Tuesday and Saturday (2x per week) | 40,000 | 31.7% | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Monday to Saturday (3x per week) | 85,000 | 37.0% | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | 40,000 | 34.2% | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | 25,000 | 28.6% | Source: TIME, August 2026. Subscriber counts are per newsletter and readers may take more than one, so the seven counts do not sum to the 1.1 million+ unique newsletter audience. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Highest open rate | 54.1%, Health Matters | TIME, August 2026 | | Largest list | 540,000, The Brief | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=43b34b89-f67d-4a79-8823-ec3169dd7826&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=43b34b89-f67d-4a79-8823-ec3169dd7826&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (daily health), Worth Your Time (culture, twice weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, three times a week), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement.  by [Tessa Berenson](https://time.com/author/tessa-berenson/)  ## Tessa Berenson Nov 18, 2015 5:02 PM UTC  President Obama speaks during a news conference with Philippines' President Benigno Aquino III in Manila, Philippines, Nov. 18, 2015. President Obama speaks during a news conference with Philippines' President Benigno Aquino III in Manila, Philippines, Nov. 18, 2015.Susan Walsh—AP  by [Tessa Berenson](https://time.com/author/tessa-berenson/)  ## Tessa Berenson Nov 18, 2015 5:02 PM UTC In the wake of a deadly terrorist attack in Paris, President Obama [harshly criticized Republicans](http://time.com/4117688/barack-obama-paris-attacks-republican/?xid=tcoshare) for their calls to close the United States’s borders to Syrian refugees. The GOP candidates are now striking back at Obama for what they say were his unnecessarily partisan remarks. Speaking at a press conference in the Philippines Wednesday, [Obama said](http://time.com/4117688/barack-obama-paris-attacks-republican/?xid=tcoshare), “I cannot think of a more potent recruitment tool for ISIL than some of the rhetoric coming out of here in the course of this debate. It’s counterproductive and it needs to stop.” This followed a hard line he took against Republicans during a speech at the G20 Summit in Turkey Monday. Several Republican candidates quickly hit back at the President in the following days. On Wednesday, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz sharply criticized Obama’s treatment of his stance on not wanting to admit Syrian refugees into the United States, and challenged him to a debate. “It is utterly un-befitting of the president to be engaging in those kinds of personal insults and attacks,” [Cruz told NBC](http://www.nbcnews.com/video/feisty-cruz-to-obama-insult-me-to-my-face-lets-debate-refugee-plan-569136707820). “He talked about how he was belittling the Republican field as scared. Let me suggest something, Mr. President. If you want to insult me you can do it overseas, you can do it in foreign countries. But I would encourage you, Mr. President, come back and insult me to my face.” [Speaking on Fox News](http://insider.foxnews.com/2015/11/17/donald-trump-reacts-hannity-isis-strategy-accepting-syrian-refugees) Tuesday, real estate mogul Donald Trump said of Obama’s speech in Turkey, “It was insulting. He wasn’t angry at the killers, the murderers, the animals that did this horrible thing. He was angry at reporters, and I think some of the Republicans frankly. … That was a terrible performance yesterday and an embarrassment to the country.” New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie [went on Fox News ](http://video.foxnews.com/v/4619813566001/christie-on-refugees-homeland-needs-to-be-protected-first/?playlist%5Fid=903354961001#sp=show-clips)Wednesday, saying, “For this president to blame Republicans, this is what he and Hillary Clinton always do… This is why the city is so divided in Washington, D.C. and our country is divided, because they speak that way.” Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina [also spoke on Fox News](http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news-campaigns-presidential-campaigns/260554-fiorina-obama-hitting-gop-over) Wednesday. “It is outrageous that a sitting president, immediately following a terrorist attack where we know that ISIS is attempting to plan attacks here in the U.S., that he would use his time to attack Republicans,” she said. And former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum weighed in on Twitter: > [](https://twitter.com/RickSantorum/status/667024488295497728) **Read More:** [_Obama Hits Bush and Cruz Over Syrian Refugees_](http://time.com/4114505/paris-attacks-barack-obama-jeb-bush-ted-cruz/) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4118395/barack-obama-republicans-isis-refugees/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4118395/barack-obama-republicans-isis-refugees/"},"headline":"Republicans Hit Back at President Obama Over Refugee Criticism","datePublished":"2015-11-18T17:02:30.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-19T07:46:53.501Z","description":"The GOP candidates are now striking back at Obama for his criticism of their positions on Syrian refugees.","url":"https://time.com/4118395/barack-obama-republicans-isis-refugees/","keywords":["2016 Election","2016 Election","Chris Christie","Barack Obama","White House","ted cruz","Donald Trump","The White House","Carly Fiorina"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbdd0605ba7790a6e/6988719d524fc02005df5859/ap_303117003273.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Tessa Berenson","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/tessa-berenson/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbdd0605ba7790a6e/6988719d524fc02005df5859/ap_303117003273.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Barack Obama","caption":"Barack Obama","creditText":"Susan Walsh—AP","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/2016-election/","name":"2016 Election"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4118395/barack-obama-republicans-isis-refugees/","name":"Republicans Hit Back at President Obama Over Refugee Criticism"}}]}] ```