President Donald Trump insisted Sunday that his executive order temporarily halting travel from seven majority-Muslim countries was "not a Muslim ban," after it was met with global outrage and huge protests across the United States.

"America is a proud nation of immigrants and we will continue to show compassion to those fleeing oppression, but we will do so while protecting our own citizens and border. America has always been the land of the free and home of the brave," Trump said in an unusual official written statement.

"To be clear, this is not a Muslim ban, as the media is falsely reporting. This is not about religion -- this is about terror and keeping our country safe," he said, adding that more 40 Muslim countries were not affected by his order.