--- description: The three Democratic candidates hit back strongly against Trump's claim that he would make Muslims in America register in a database. title: Democrats React to Trump's Muslim Database Comments image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta114d010f54ddab6/698871eecf40a82eb8c40bde/hillary-clinton4.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Politics](/section/politics/) ## Politics Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Donald Trump](/tag/donald-trump/) ## Donald Trump Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Democrats Call Trump's Muslim Database Comments 'Shocking'  by [Tessa Berenson](/author/tessa-berenson/)  ## Tessa Berenson Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Updated: Dec 13, 2023 11:16 PM CUTPublished: Nov 20, 2015 3:19 PM CUT  Hillary Clinton holds a press conference on National Security at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on Nov. 19, 2015. Hillary Clinton holds a press conference on National Security at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on Nov. 19, 2015.Behar Anthony—Anthony Behar/Sipa USA  by [Tessa Berenson](/author/tessa-berenson/)  ## Tessa Berenson Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Updated: Dec 13, 2023 11:16 PM CUTPublished: Nov 20, 2015 3:19 PM CUT Donald Trump’s assertion that he would [make Muslims in America register in a database](http://time.com/4121511/donald-trump-muslims-database-terrorism/?xid=tcoshare "undefined") has forced candidates of both parties to stake out clearer positions in the heated debate over security after the Paris attacks. It’s a more fraught conundrum for the Republicans, many of whom are jockeying for positions along the hardline against Syrian refugees entering the U.S. But the three Democratic candidates hit back strongly against Trump’s claim. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called the comments “shocking” and implied that meant Trump is unfit to be president: > [](https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/667703375035789312) Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley used even harsher language, [telling MSNBC Friday](http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news-campaigns-homeland-security/260883-omalley-on-trumps-muslim-id-cards "undefined"): “When you hear people like Donald Trump talking about wanting to do ID cards based on religion. What the hell is that? I mean, how is that at all American?” Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders weighed in Friday afternoon, saying Trump’s comments were “bigoted” and echoing the tone of his fellow Democratic candidates: > [](https://twitter.com/BernieSanders/status/667760946715168768) **Read More:** [_Republicans Push Back on Trump_](http://time.com/4121800/republicans-push-back-on-trump/ "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4121983/democrats-trump-muslim-database/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4121983/democrats-trump-muslim-database/"},"headline":"Democrats Call Trump's Muslim Database Comments 'Shocking'","datePublished":"2015-11-20T15:19:06.000Z","dateModified":"2023-12-13T23:16:55.000Z","description":"The three Democratic candidates hit back strongly against Trump's claim that he would make Muslims in America register in a database.","url":"https://time.com/4121983/democrats-trump-muslim-database/","keywords":["Donald Trump","Hillary Clinton","2016 Election topic","Syrian refugees","Bernie Sanders","Martin O'malley"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta114d010f54ddab6/698871eecf40a82eb8c40bde/hillary-clinton4.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/blta114d010f54ddab6/698871eecf40a82eb8c40bde/hillary-clinton4.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"NY: Hillary Clinton Holds Press Conference On National Security In NYC","caption":"NY: Hillary Clinton Holds Press Conference On National Security In NYC","creditText":"Behar Anthony—Anthony Behar/Sipa USA","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/donald-trump/","name":"Donald Trump"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4121983/democrats-trump-muslim-database/","name":"Democrats Call Trump's Muslim Database Comments 'Shocking'"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Watch The Best Quotes By Donald Trump","description":"Donald Trump's Most Ridiculous Quotes","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/7MzTpVq2/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-07-23T21:38:04.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/7MzTpVq2.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4121983/democrats-trump-muslim-database/","duration":"PT1M21S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4121983/democrats-trump-muslim-database/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```