Trump rejects judge's ruling on Muslim ban as ‘ridiculous’

US President Donald Trump has rejected a US federal judge's ruling that blocked his controversial travel ban on Muslims from certain countries as “ridiculous,” saying it “will be overturned.”

On Friday, US District Court Judge James Robart of Seattle, Washington, ruled in favor of a lawsuit seeking to overturn the presidential order that blocks the entry of citizens from seven predominately Muslim countries.

The ruling was broader than similar ones before it, and represents the most severe legal blow to Trump's contentious action.

In a series of tweets early in the morning on Saturday, Trump  insulted Robart, calling him a "so-called judge," and threatened to overturn his judgment.

“The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned!” he tweeted.

“When a country is no longer able to say who can, and who cannot , come in and out, especially for reasons of safety &.security – big trouble!” he added.

“Interesting that certain Middle-Eastern countries agree with the ban. They know if certain people are allowed in it’s death & destruction!” he said in another tweet.

White House calls ruling on visa ban ‘outrageous’

On Friday night, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer issued a statement in which he described the ruling as "outrageous," but minutes after updated the statement omitting the word entirely.

"At the earliest possible time, the Department of Justice intends to file an emergency stay of this order and defend the executive order of the President, which we believe is lawful and appropriate," Spicer said in the updated statement.

"The president’s order is intended to protect the homeland and he has the constitutional authority and responsibility to protect the American people,” he added.

"As the law states, 'Whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate,'" Spicer continued.

Read more

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• Judge halts part of Trump's Muslim ban
• 100,000 visas revoked over Trump’s ban

Trump signed the executive order on January 27 that imposed a temporary travel ban on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen and placed an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees. The move also suspended admission of all refugees for 120 days.

Trump has come under immense pressure from politicians and rights groups to rescind the Muslim ban.

The measure has also created a global backlash with a growing number of countries, including long-standing US allies, criticizing the curbs as discriminatory and divisive.

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