White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Trump’s plan to refuse even American-born Muslims entry to the U.S. were unconstitutional.

The United States White House angrily challenged Republicans to denounce their party’s presidential frontrunner Donald Trump Tuesday, claiming his “toxic” plan to ban Muslims from entering the country should disqualify him from office.

Painting Trump as a “carnival barker” with “fake hair” whose campaign belonged in the “dustbin of history,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Trump’s plan to refuse even American-born Muslims entry to the United States were patently unconstitutional.

“What Donald Trump said yesterday disqualifies him from serving as president,” said Earnest sharply, describing the 69-year-old’s comments variously as “offensive” and “toxic.”

The unusually strident language from the White House podium reflects concern about the impact of Trump’s comments in the wake of a mass shooting that killed 14 in California that is being blamed on extremists.

But it also suggests that the White House spies a political opportunity ahead of the 2016 election.

Earnest was quick to pounce on prominent Republicans who condemned Trump’s remarks – including rival presidential contenders Marco Rubio, John Kasich, Chris Christie and Jeb Bush – saying they would still support him if he were the party nominee.

“What he said is disqualifying and any Republican who’s too fearful of the Republican base to admit it, has no business serving as president either,” Earnest said.

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