Donald Trump’s US travel ban has gone down so badly that even broadcaster Piers Morgan, one of his most vocal British cheerleaders, has condemned the policy.
In his column for MailOnline, the former newspaper editor argues the US President’s executive order “makes no sense”, pointing out none of the seven countries subject to the 90-day ban is responsible for a terror attack on the US mainland.
Terrorists who committed the 9/11 and San Bernadino attacks came from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Lebanon and Pakistan, countries which are excluded from the banned list, he points out.
The Good Morning Britain presenter does triangulate by defending his “friend” from the “absurdly exaggerated anti-Trump hysteria that greets everything he does”, but ultimately judges this is a bad move:
“This overly-draconian executive order will simply serve to empower ISIS, act as the best recruitment agent they could possibly wish for, and fuel their conspiracy theory that America’s waging war on Islam, not just Islamic terrorists.
“It’s also grotesquely unfair because it punishes many decent, law-abiding people who have every right to be in the country.”
Trump and Morgan became friends when the ex-Daily Mirror editor won the celebrity version of The Apprentice.
Last week, Morgan underlined their closeness when he told The Sun on Sunday: “He calls me ‘Champ’ because I won Celebrity Apprentice. It’s cool having the US President call you Champ.”
Many were surprised by his anti-Trump stance.
It follows Sir Mo Farah criticising the “deeply troubling” ban as the British Olympic champion faces the prospect of not being able to see his children who live in the US.
The four-time Olympic gold medallist, who has lived in Oregon for the last six years, is originally from Somalia. Under Trump’s order, which bans refugees entering the US from Syria and six other Muslim-majority countries, Farah faces the possibility of not being allowed home to see his family. It is believed the athlete is currently training in Ethiopia.
But some of Trump’s UK-based supporters are still on his side.
Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage was the only person on the Sunday morning round of politics shows to agree with Trump’s policy.