White House spokesman Josh Earnest
White House spokesman Josh EarnestReuters

Senior White House officials lined up on Monday to condemn Donald Trump's proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States, saying it was contrary to American values and interests, according to AFP.

The leading Republican presidential candidate who is known for his controversial remarks, earlier on Monday issued a statement in which he warned about Muslim “hatred” and called to ban all Muslims from entering the United States "until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on."

"You're being generous by describing it as a proposal," White House spokesman Josh Earnest was quoted by AFP as having said in response to the statement, adding Trump’s call was "cynical."

"I think what Mr. Trump is doing is something that he's been doing over the course of his entire campaign, which is... to play on people's fears in order to build support for his campaign," added Earnest.

"I think what he's doing, he's dividing America in a really cynical way," he told MSNBC.

One of President Barack Obama's top foreign policy aides, Ben Rhodes, told CNN that the plan was also "contrary to our security."

"The fact of the matter is (the Islamic State group) wants to frame this as a war between the United States and Islam," he added.

"And if we look like we apply religious tests to who comes into to this country, we are sending a message that essentially we are embracing that."

Trump last month said he would consider closing some mosques in America with radical leadership if he were elected president.