US Elections; Clinton Appoints Head of 'Transition to the White House' Team

One day after Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's remarks about a 'religious test' for Muslim immigrants to the US and his sharp criticisms of the Democrats' security and foreign policies, the campaign efforts of both sides have intensified. On Tuesday, US media reported that Hillary Clinton has established a team responsible for the transition to the White House in a building near the US presidential headquarters to begin preliminary work for her entry into the White House. The team is headed by Ken Salazar, a former senator from Colorado. Candidates from both major US parties have been allowed this year to form teams to prepare for the transition to the White House to avoid wasting time. These preparations are being carried out quietly and in cooperation with government officials, while the noise continues to revolve around the election campaigns of both the Republican and Democratic camps. Donald Trump, the Republican candidate competing against Hillary Clinton, has consistently focused on controversial topics since the start of his political and electoral activities. Some American analysts say that due to financial weakness and an inability to pay for expensive television ads, Trump has been forced to resort to controversial subjects to attract public and media attention. However, his remarks on Monday, which outlined part of his foreign policy focusing on the fight against the Islamic State and how to deal with Muslim immigrants, sparked more serious discussions. On Monday, Trump stated that if he wins the election, he will instruct the Departments of State and Homeland Security to compile a list of dangerous countries so that no immigrants from these countries will be allowed to enter the US. He also described Iran as 'the largest state sponsor of terrorism' and claimed that Iran, having received $150 billion from the 'JCPOA' and $400 million in 'ransom' for the release of American prisoners, is now awash in cash, which could put it on the path to acquiring a nuclear bomb. The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that conservatives have called Trump's remarks contentless and alarming. The Post quoted 95-year-old veteran politician George Shultz warning that the US political system has gone off track. Meanwhile, Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York and a staunch Trump supporter, blamed Obama's administration, particularly Hillary Clinton during her tenure as Secretary of State, for the chaos in today's Middle East. Giuliani stated that today, wherever we think, the situation is much worse than the day Hillary Clinton entered the State Department. He added, 'History will testify that Mrs. Clinton was the worst Secretary of State, at least in our lifetime.' However, criticism of Trump's remarks has gone beyond US borders, especially with German officials speaking out against the 'incorrectness' of these statements. Michael Roth, Germany's Minister for European Affairs, expressed regret over Trump's positions in an interview with Reuters on Monday, stating that Trump is saying things that have no real basis. If he had studied, he would have realized that while Germany has accepted many refugees, it has not seen a significant increase in crime and remains a peaceful country.