US Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump’s supporters came out in strong numbers to support one of the most controversial statements made by any candidate running for the White House. Donald Trump on Monday called on the United States to prohibit all Muslims from entering the country until the authorities are able to make things fall in place following the San Bernardino attacks last week.

Around 400 supporters gathered at the rally on Monday night, hours after Trump made the controversial statement, and packed into the hangar deck of the USS Yorktown, a second World War aircraft carrier.

“I’m 110 percent for it,” Dan King, 66, a coast guard veteran at the event in Charleston harbour, told The Guardian. “Until they can figure out how to stop all these illegal criminals coming into this country, we need to act.”

Trump proposed that the US borders should be closed to all Muslims across the globe until the threats targeting Americans at the hour can be assessed fully. The statement has drawn outrage within US and beyond, but Trump’s followers have greeted the suggestion with great positivity.

When King was asked why only Muslims should be barred from entering the country, he said, “Because Muslims are the ones who are doing all the terrorism. If they are not doing it, then it wouldn’t be done.”

Trump turned against Muslims in general after the Paris attacks last month. Although in September, he made a public statement, saying, “I love Muslims.” He even repeated discredited claims that thousands of Muslims were seen celebrating the 9/11 attacks.

Gary Duncan, a 72-year-old supporter of Trump, also approved of the proposal even though he said his best friend was a Turkish-Muslim. “Hell, we have got to be realistic. I know it’s not politically correct, but we have a problem right now.”

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