US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has outlined his plan to fight "radical Islamic terrorism" in a major policy speech.
The plan includes suspending visas from countries with ties to terrorism and "extreme vetting" of those applying to enter the US.
Donald Trump addressing supporters in Florida. Photo: AFP
In a speech in Ohio, Mr Trump said applicants will be tested to determine if they shared Western liberal values, such as religious tolerance. Campaign officials said before the speech the test would have questions to address how each applicant viewed American values such as religious freedom, gender equality and gay rights.
The candidate said he would create a commission on radical Islam as one of his first acts if elected president.
He pledged to work with any nations willing to help the US defeat the Islamic State, welcoming alliances from any country that shared the mission to destroy "radical Islamic terrorism," regardless of other ideological beliefs.
The billionaire has revised his plan throughout his campaign, after initially, in December 2015, proposing a blanket ban on all Muslims entering the country.
After a shooting at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida, Mr Trump said he would temporarily ban immigration from countries with a previous history of terrorism against the US and other western countries.
In the latest proposal, citizens from some countries would not be issued visas but it was not clear which nations would be banned.
Mr Trump said the State Department and Department of Homeland Security would create a list of regions from which the US would not admit people.
Last week, Mr Trump outlined his economic agenda in a speech, but the economic plan was quickly overshadowed by the real estate mogul's claim that President Barack Obama had "founded" IS.
Recent polls show he is significantly trailing behind Hillary Clinton in key battleground states.
Wall Street Journal takes Trump to task
Conservative newspaper The Wall Street Journal issued a sharply worded warning to Mr Trump to fix his stumbling White House campaign in the next three weeks, or step down.
The Journal's editorial board, which generally favours Republicans, has been critical of Mr Trump and has questioned his conservative credentials, but its warning on Monday was its strongest attack yet.
It echoed growing alarm about Mr Trump's candidacy among many leading Republicans who have been slow to embrace him, or have completely distanced themselves.
It urged his backers to push the candidate to conduct himself with a more presidential demeanour and begin running a more disciplined campaign.
"If they can't get Mr. Trump to change his act by Labor Day, the GOP will have no choice but to write off the nominee as hopeless and focus on salvaging the Senate and House and other down-ballot races," it said.
- BBC / Reuters
